Jewish Labour MP on delegation denied entry into Israel

Dr Peter Prinsley, a Jewish Labour MP and Board of Deputies representative, has been denied entry into Israel alongside another parliamentarian.

Prinsley and Labour MP Simon Opher were travelling as part of a  Council for Arab-British Understanding delegation that was due to meet British diplomats in Jerusalem this week, in addition to Palestinian and Israeli human rights organisations.

The two MPs were crossing into Israel from Jordan on Monday on a three-day visit when they were stopped by Israeli authorities.

In a joint statement, the two MPs said it was ” deeply regrettable that Israeli authorities prevented them from seeing first-hand the grave challenges facing medical facilities in the region and from hearing the British government’s assessment of the situation on the ground.”

The statement said that the purpose of the visit, organised by was to “enable members of parliament to witness the vital medical and humanitarian work of a range of organisations including Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) in the occupied West Bank.”

Opher said he and Prinsley were told they were not being admitted into Israel on “public order” grounds.

He said: “It’s very disappointing. We are both doctors and we were really just going to look at healthcare facilities in the West Bank to see if there was anything we could do to support them.”

“We weren’t in any way trying to undermine the Israelis, just trying to see what we could do in the West Bank.”

The Prinsley family is closely linked to the Norwich Hebrew Congregation at the Norwich Synagogue, close to where they now live.

His wife, Dr Marian Prinsley, who served as sheriff of Norwich between 2019 and 2021, is president of the shul.

He had last travelled to Israel in May as part of a solidarity visit funded by Labour Friends of Israel, meeting with President Isaac Herzog.

With nearly  three decades of experience as an otorhinolaryngologist – a physician specialising in diseases of the ear, nose, and throat – Prinsley has also represented his shul at the Board.

He is not the only member of the family to do so, either. Judith, his sister-in-law, is also a Deputy in London, whilst his own sister Emma was also recently elected onto the communal body.

Prinsley, the MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, has been an NHS surgeon in East Anglia for 30 years, and is a member of the Jewish Labour Movement.

Opher, the MP for Stroud and chair of the all-party parliamentary group for health, had returned to the UK from Jordan. Prior to his election to parliament, he was a full-time GP in Dursley.

In April, two Labour MPs said they were also denied entry into Israel and deported back to the UK. Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed were rejected because they were suspected of plans to “document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred”, according to the Israeli immigration ministry.

CAABU’s Chris Doyle posted on X:”The Israeli denial of entry to these two MPs, both doctors is deeply regrettable. Visiting the occupied Palestinian territory and seeing humanitarian and medical projects should not be subject to an Israeli veto”.

The Israeli Embassy in London has been approached for comment.

A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: “It is totally unacceptable and deeply concerning that yet again two British MPs have been denied entry to the occupied Palestinian territories by Israel.

“Minister [Hamish] Falconer and officials have remained in contact with the MPs affected throughout. We are clear with Israel that this is no way to treat British Parliamentarians.”

Jewish News understands that the Board of Deputies has raised the issue with the Israeli Embassy in London.