UK Health Secretary Slams Israel for Blocking Labour MPs From West Bank

A senior UK minister has condemned Israel’s decision to bar two British MPs from entering the occupied West Bank, calling it “shameful.”

Labour MPs Simon Opher and Peter Prinsley — both doctors — were stopped by Israeli authorities on Monday while attempting to cross from Jordan as part of a delegation to observe medical and humanitarian work.

“I find the treatment of two highly respected clinicians and members of parliament by the Israeli government shameful, but no longer surprising,” Health Secretary Wes Streeting said. His remarks add to growing pressure on the UK government to take a tougher stance on Israel.

Opher, who has urged the UK to recognize Palestinian statehood and sanction senior Israeli officials, voiced concern over the impact of the Gaza war on healthcare in both Gaza and the West Bank. He accused Israel of waging a “financial war” by withholding funds from the Palestinian Authority and warned that healthcare workers were being targeted.

Hamish Falconer, the UK’s Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, also criticized the move as “unacceptable,” adding: “This is no way to treat British parliamentarians.”

The Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), which organized the trip, called the Israeli action “deeply troubling.” Chair Alistair Carmichael said it was “yet a further example of behavior that one should not expect from a country the UK government sees as an ally.”

Israel cited “public security or public order considerations” for denying entry. The MPs had been scheduled to meet UK diplomats in Jerusalem as well as Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups, including Medical Aid for Palestinians.

This is the second time in 2025 that Israel has blocked a UK parliamentary delegation from visiting the West Bank, after Labour MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed were refused entry in April.