Israeli interior minister says U.S. Congresswoman Tlaib's visit request was provocation to embarrass Israel
Aug 16 (Reuters) - Israel's interior minister said on Friday U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib's request to visit was a provocation to embarrass the country, after she rejected Israel's offer to let her travel to the occupied West Bank to see family there on humanitarian grounds.
"I approved (the request) on humanitarian grounds, but it turns out that it was a provocation to embarrass Israel. Her hatred for Israel overcomes her love for her grandmother," Israeli Interior Minister Aryeh Deri tweeted.
Earlier on Friday, Israel said it would allow Tlaib to visit her grandmother and extended family in the West Bank after barring her and Rep. Ilhan Omar's official visit a day earlier. (Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
