Britain – joined by Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries – will enact asset freezes and travel restrictions on Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir and Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich on Tuesday.

The sanctions ban Smotrich and Ben-Gvir from entering the country or dealing with British financial institutions, similar to what senior Russians have faced due to the war in Ukraine.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said that "we were informed about UK decision to include two of our ministers on the British sanctions list. It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to this kind of measures." He added that after his discussion with Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was decided that "we will hold a special government meeting early next week to decide on our response to this unacceptable decision."

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The Guardian reported that the new directive creates a three-tier system of escalating barriers, with complete prohibitions for some nations while implementing partial restrictions for others. The policy announcement comes nearly five months into Trump's second presidential term and significantly expands upon his previous immigration initiatives.

The proclamation specifically references the recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, where an Egyptian national attacked demonstrators advocating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. The directive also builds upon Trump's initial executive order requiring the State Department to identify countries with inadequate vetting procedures.

Travel ban mechanisms

Travel restrictions function by limiting or completely prohibiting entry for nationals from designated countries. These measures can encompass total visa suspensions or target specific visa categories, depending on the perceived security risks.

The president's initial executive order mandated that the State Department identify nations "for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries." This foundational directive established the framework for the broader restrictions announced Wednesday.

Presidential proclamations differ from executive orders in their scope and implementation. While executive orders provide direct instructions to federal agencies, proclamations typically signal broader policy shifts and can carry legal weight during national emergencies.

Complete entry prohibitions

The most restrictive category applies total bans on both immigrant and non-immigrant travel for nationals from 13 countries. These nations face absolute prohibitions on US entry:

Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen comprise this list of completely restricted countries.

Partial travel limitations

Seven additional nations face partial restrictions rather than complete bans. Citizens from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela encounter specific limitations on their ability to enter the United States.

These partial measures allow for case-by-case evaluations while maintaining heightened scrutiny of applicants from these regions.

The proclamation cites multiple factors contributing to each country's inclusion. National security concerns form the primary basis for these designations, though specific rationales vary by nation.

Several countries, including Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Libya, and Venezuela, lack reliable central authorities capable of properly issuing passports or conducting adequate screening of departing nationals, according to the proclamation's findings.

High rates of visa overstays characterize another group of restricted nations. Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan all demonstrate significant problems with individuals remaining beyond their authorized stay periods.

Terrorist activity and state-sponsored terrorism represent the third major justification category. Iran, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, and Cuba all face restrictions due to their connections to terrorist organizations or activities.

Distinctions from the 2017 measures

The current restrictions significantly expand beyond Trump's initial 2017 travel ban, which originally targeted seven predominantly Muslim countries before including North Korea and Venezuela. This new proclamation encompasses a broader geographic scope and introduces Haiti as a notable new addition.

Afghan refugee implications

The inclusion of Afghanistan presents particular complications given that many Afghan refugees approved for US resettlement had assisted American military forces before the 2021 withdrawal. These individuals faced persecution risks due to their cooperation with US troops during the extended military presence.

The Taliban withdrawal agreement, negotiated during Trump's first presidency, established the framework for the complete US military departure in 2021. Many Afghans who worked alongside American forces subsequently sought refuge through established refugee programs.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced "the termination of temporary protected status for Afghanistan" last month, with the designation ending May 20, The Guardian reported. This decision affects thousands of Afghans currently residing in the United States under protective status.

Implementation timeline

The proclamation takes effect immediately upon signing, though specific implementation details remain under development. Federal agencies must coordinate to ensure consistent application of the new restrictions across all entry points.

Processing of pending applications from affected countries will likely face significant delays as officials review cases under the new criteria. Individuals currently traveling or with approved travel documents may encounter complications depending on their country of origin and travel purpose.

The State Department and Department of Homeland Security will oversee enforcement of these measures, working to establish consistent procedures across all US embassies and border entry points.

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Prime Minister Naftali Bennett held a primetime press conference about his COVID-19 policies Monday evening. It went poorly for him.

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Channel 12 News reporter Ofer Hadad spoke for many Israelis when he said, "Mr. Prime Minister, on the one hand, you're signaling urgency and fear, and on the other hand, confusion.

"You decide to require a Green Pass for entry into shopping malls, and then you do an about face. You call for children to get vaccinated and then we discover that the education minister is – at best – refusing to mobilize the school system to this end. You ask the citizens of Israel not to travel abroad. And then your family flies off to the Maldives. You're confusing us."

Bennett's confused and contradictory policies on COVID-19 are of a piece with his confusing and failed policies in every other major policy sphere. From his dealing with the Biden administration, the Palestinians, Iran, Diaspora Jewry, the economy and beyond, Bennett's policies are a muddle of self-defeating contradictions.

Consider the situation with the Biden administration. Bennett said that by forming a radical ruling coalition dominated by the Left and the Islamist Ra'am Party, he would vastly improve Israel's relations with the administration. Bennett and his partner, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, insisted that then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had brought Israel-US relations to a crisis through his close relations with then-President Donald Trump and the Republican party. Bennett and Lapid claimed that once they took charge, ties with the Biden administration would vastly improve.

But the opposite has occurred. On Tuesday, Channel 13 News reported that for the past three weeks, President Joe Biden has refused to speak with Bennett. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken refuses to engage in any serious discussion of the administration's Iran policies.

In a phone call with Bennett three weeks ago, Blinken reportedly refused to seriously discuss Iran's nuclear program and the nuclear talks in Vienna. Instead, he focused obsessively on Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria and Jewish neighborhoods in northern, eastern and southern Jerusalem, to which the administration passionately objects. Blinken escalated the administration's demands that Israel stop construction for Jews in Jerusalem's northern Atarot neighborhood.

Blinken's animosity reinforced the already strong sense that the Biden administration views Israel as an irritant, not an ally. For Blinken, Biden and their colleagues, Israel is the problem in the Middle East. As for their supporters on the radical left, Biden and his team wrongly view Israel as the "occupier" in its capital and national heartland.

Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan arrived in Israel on Tuesday. Whereas Bennett's advisors told the media that the purpose of his visit was to discuss Iran, a US official insisted that Sullivan's primary goal was to step up the pressure on Israel to stop Jews from building homes in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and only after that would he discuss Iran.

Following Sullivan's meeting with Bennett Wednesday, Israel Hayom reported that as far as Iran was concerned, far from coordinating positions and reaching a joint plan of action to block Iran from becoming a nuclear power, Sullivan merely presented a vague plan of increased sanctions and Security Council condemnations of Iran that the US might implement against Tehran at some point in the future if the Iranian regime fails to agree to reach a nuclear deal in Vienna.

Bennett has no policy for managing relations with the most hostile US administration in history. Although Bennett ostensibly opposes Washington's dictates on nullifying Jewish property rights, Defense Minister Benny Gantz is essentially toeing the administration's line. After Yehuda Dimantman was murdered last Thursday by Palestinian terrorists on his way to his yeshiva in Homesh in Samaria last week, Gantz didn't order the destruction of the terrorists' homes. He ordered the destruction of Dimantman's yeshiva.

Gantz has given retroactive approval for thousands of illegal buildings in Area C that the Europeans built for the Palestinians, and approved the construction of thousands more.

This brings us to Iran's nuclear weapons program. According to Gantz and Lapid, Iran's achievement of independent military nuclear capabilities is imminent. Yet Bennett has no policy for dealing with this state of affairs. Once a week the media report the IDF's detailed operational plans for destroying Iran's nuclear installations. Twice a week the media report that Israel lacks the capacity to attack Iran's nuclear installations and needs America to take care of Iran for us.

These opposing views presumably reflect the points of view expressed in Bennett's security cabinet. There, apparently preventing Iran from achieving independent military nuclear capabilities is presented as an all-or-nothing deal, with no middle ground. Israel has no diplomatic options. It has no option to help the Iranian people bring down the regime. Sabotage is apparently off the table.

Either the entire Israeli Air Force flies to Iran to destroy all of its nuclear sites, or America will rescue Israel – at the cost of Israel's sovereignty and national identity.

What is the source of Bennett's strategic confusion?

Bennett's COVID-19 policies provide a clue. To date, Bennett has only fully implemented one clear-cut decision. He barred all non-Israeli citizens from entering Israel.

Whether you are a grandparent who wants to see your Israeli grandchildren, or a high school class scheduled to spend a year in Israel, if you don't have an Israeli passport, Bennett says, "Keep out."

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To date, criticism of Bennett's ban on tourists has focused on the economic price Israelis are forced to pay. According to the Israel Association of Travel Agencies and Consultants, by banning entry to foreigners, Bennett has caused severe economic distress to 100,000 travel agents, tour guides and their families.

But there is an additional, much deeper cost: the Jewish cost.

Over the past week, expressions of outrage at Bennett's blanket ban among Diaspora Jews have multiplied. Jews worldwide express feelings of hurt, outrage and humiliation at what they perceive as an abandonment and betrayal. Israel is the homeland of the entire Jewish people – wherever they dwell. Despite this, Bennett is making a distinction between Jews based not on the COVID-19 status, but on the passports they hold.

After South African native Eliyahu Kay was murdered last month as he made his way to work at the Western Wall, members of the South African Jewish community flew to Israel to pay their respects. While their flight was in the air, the government announced a ban on entry to non-Israelis arriving from Africa. The first people to be turned away were the Kay family's friends. They arrived on a Friday morning and were forced to return to South Africa, in violation of Shabbat.

South Africa's Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein lashed out in anger at Bennett's actions.

The ban on Diaspora Jews, he said, "is causing terrible human suffering. It's dividing families, people can't come for family celebrations, or just to see their relatives. It's a moral disgrace, and cannot be defended on the grounds of medical safety."

Bennett's move, Goldstein and many other Diapsora Jews say, is a betrayal of the central foundation of Zionism.

As Goldstein put it, "The future sustainability and success of Israel depend on if it fulfills the reason for its existence. That is to be a Jewish state. If you violate the Jewish identity of the Jewish state, if you take away its reason for being, that is a strategic threat to the state of Israel."

At the outset of his Coronavirus cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Bennett said, "We are discussing the heart of the policy. We who are responsible, have no good options."

Bennett's statement touched the essence of leadership – deciding between imperfect options in an environment of uncertainty, and implementing policies whose ultimate outcome is unknowable.

To succeed at policymaking in conditions of deep uncertainty, every leader requires three things – core convictions, experience, and public support. Unfortunately, Bennett lacks all three.

In the past, Bennett presented himself as a conviction politician. He wrote a book on how to fight COVID-19. He published a plan to apply Israeli sovereignty over Area C and another one to destroy Hamas. When Bennett abandoned his ideological camp to form a government with the left, he abandoned all of his books and plans and any glimmer of a conviction. Now, as prime minister, he has no ideological foundation to guide him.

When Bennett abandoned his ideological camp, he also abandoned his voters. And thus he lacks public support.

Public support is important for two reasons. First, leaders without public support lack the ability to convince their colleagues in government to stand with them. Second, leaders with a public behind them are expected to serve that public.

As for experience, Bennett never held real executive office. Bennett's experience was as a pitchman. He sold start-ups. He set out perfect policies he never had to implement in the real world. He ran campaigns.

So when Prime Minister Bennett talks to his ministers about choosing between bad options, he has no convictions and no experience to guide him. And he has no constituents to whom he owes allegiance. Bereft of all three components of leadership, Bennett is the apotheosis of an empty suit.

Bennett's blanket ban on entry for tourists demonstrated his lack of all three.

To be sure, with the advent of the highly contagious Omicron COVID-19 variant, Israel, like all other states, is compelled to take steps to limit insofar as is practicable the spread of the virus. At the outset of the pandemic two years ago, lacking sufficient COVID-19 tests and treatment protocols, and with no vaccines in sight, the government's decision to temporarily close the borders to non-citizens – like its decision to enact a national shutdown – were understandable.

But today, tests, treatments and vaccines are abundant. An experienced leader guided by Zionist convictions and sensitive to the cost his policy would impose on voters and other important stakeholders, would look at the situation and recognize that there are more options than having the country completely open or completely closed to tourists. For instance, the government could require tourists entering the country to abide by the Green Pass requirements of vaccinations, PCR tests and quarantine. Such a policy would reduce the danger of contagion, while limiting the damage to the economy and relations with Diaspora Jewry.

Bennett can repair the damage he has caused Diaspora Jewry fairly easily by cancelling his entry ban and applying the Green Pass criteria to foreign visitors. Repairing the damage his inexperienced, conviction-free and unsupported positions in all other spheres are causing will not be so simple.

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The new government's Corona cabinet convened for the first time on Sunday to discuss a spike in new confirmed cases, due mostly to the highly contagious Delta variant.

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National Coronavirus Coordinator Professor Nachman Ash, who has just been appointed director-general of the Health Ministry, presented a number of relatively conservative steps to be taken to contain the latest uptick.

The cabinet decided that its first goal would be to provide maximum protection against the Delta variant with minimum interference in normal functioning. The cabinet also decided that the government must put systems in place to identify, track, and handle future viruses.

Strategic Affairs Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen, discussing whether the government should take steps to eradicate the spread of the Delta variant, said, "People who didn't get vaccinated – that's their problem. They took the danger on themselves," indicating that the government did not at this stage intend to instate severe restrictions.

However, officials who took part in the meeting told Israel Hayom that if the Bennett government did not take steps to reduce the spread of the virus, the new outbreak would result in seriously cases and even deaths.

The cabinet did decide to encourage children age 12 and over to be vaccinated. Cabinet ministers who have children who are eligible to receive the COVID vaccinated are expected to serve as personal examples.

On Monday morning, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett put out a video in which he issues a personal call to Israeli youth over the age of 12 to be vaccinated.

"Right now, there are enough vaccines for everyone. But there's a catch: they will expire soon, and then there won't be enough vaccines for everyone. There is a narrow window of 11 days, and we're racing against the clock," Bennett said.

"The last date to get the first dose of the vaccine is July 9. Three weeks later, you'll get the second vaccine, and then the vaccines we have in stock will expire. So I'm calling on parent and all the young men and women to get vaccinated," Bennett said.

Another important policy point of the new government is Ben-Gurion International Airport. Ash and Maj. Gen. (res.) Roni Numa, who has been appointed point man to oversee enforcement, testing, and quarantine measures at the airport, have been tasked with coming up with a model to enforce quarantines. Anyone crossing international borders into Israel will also be subject to genetic sequencing.

In Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting, the government decided that Israelis who violate travel bans and visit blacklisted countries (Argentine, Brazil, South Africa, India, Mexico, and Russia) will be subject to 5,000-shekel ($1,534) fines.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry, Health Ministry, and National Security Council have been instructed to plan for the launch of the 2021/22 school year in September, given various COVID scenarios that could be in play.

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Ash also recommended that the government expand testing of sewage, given the appearance of COVID in sewage in Ashkelon at the end of last week. Other suggestions floated included renewed contact tracing, sampling at the airport, and technologies to enforce quarantine. Testing for residents of retirement homes will resume.

As of Monday morning, there were 145 new confirmed COVID cases in Israel, 24 of which were identified after midnight Sunday. The number of active or symptomatic cases stood at 1,186, of whom 44 were hospitalized.

Of the hospitalized COVID patients, 22 were listed in serious condition, with 17 in critical condition and 16 on ventilators.

The total number of COVID fatalities since the pandemic reached Israel in early 2020 is 6,429.

Over 5.5 million Israelis have received at least the first dose of the COVID vaccine, and 5.16 million have received both doses.

The 40,123 COVID tests processed since Sunday resulted in a 0.4% positive rate.

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Given a new spike in confirmed COVID cases in Israel, due mostly to the highly contagious Delta variant, the Corona Cabinet was due to meet on Sunday to discuss additional public health restrictions, after a nationwide indoor mask mandate was reinstated Friday at 12 p.m. and the number of new confirmed COVID cases has topped 100 for six days running.

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Measures to be discussed in the cabinet meeting include limits to public gatherings, increased enforcement of quarantines, and enforcement of travel bans.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced Sunday morning at the weekly cabinet meeting that former GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Roni Numa, who coordinated the handling of COVID in the Haredi community last year, had been named to handle COVID measures at Ben-Gurion International Airport, including testing and enforcement.

Bennett said at the meeting that the government did not intend to instate public health restrictions, but urged the public to get vaccinated.

"We will promote masks rather than restrictions, and vaccinations instead of lockdowns," Bennett said.

The prime minister also urged mayors and local authority heads to "take quick and determined action to promote the vaccination of children age 12 and over."

At a meeting of experts held over the weekend, Dr. Amit Huppert of the Gertner Institute and mathematician Professor Nir Gavish presented a model that showed that if the government did not take steps to curb the current outbreak, Israel would see another wave that would target mainly children and teens, and would affect even Israelis who have been vaccinated.

According to the model, the number of serious cases would peak this coming winter, but would likely not overwhelm hospitals. The model said that if allowed to run its course without any public health intervention, the wave would result in some 1,400 deaths.

Some Health Ministry officials believe that rapid action is called for, whereas others think that the government should wait to see if the outbreak results in a spike in the number of seriously ill patients and patients hospitalized in serious condition.

"We will discuss strategic options, whether there is a need to minimize the spread of the virus in Israel, with all the steps that entails, or take care to protect the healthcare system against a high number of serious cases," a senior Health Ministry official said.

The official said that as of Saturday, there was no talk about mandating masks out of doors.

In addition, there is currently no debate about instating restrictions in communities graded orange or red under the "traffic light" system, and restrictions will be declared on a localized basis for schools where there are new confirmed cases.

"We are very disturbed at the prospect of a spike in cases among children, because pediatric wards are already overcrowded," the official said.

On Sunday morning, the Health Ministry reported 113 new confirmed cases, out of a total 32,703 COVID tests processed in the 24-hour period from Saturday to Sunday. Last week, the average number of new confirmed cases per day stood at 143.

Over half (65) of the new cases confirmed on Saturday were school-age children. Another six cases were confirmed in school staff. Eighteen of the cases were confirmed in Israelis who returned from abroad, including nine who had been in Russia, which is under a travel ban for Israeli citizens due to the high rate of COVID there.

The IDF, which in March declared itself COVID-free, reported that a total of 11 people, including soldiers on compulsory service, professional military personnel, and IDF employees, had tested positive for COVID and had mild cases.

Under the Health Ministry's traffic light system, Kfar Saba, Herzliya, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Tzofim, and Aviel were all downgraded from green to yellow starting Sunday. Modiin-Maccabim-Reut and Kochav Yair were graded orange, while Binyamina and Givat Ada were designated red.

A total of 26 COVID patients were hospitalized in serious condition on Sunday, of whom 17 were on ventilators.

Since the pandemic reached Israel in early 2020, 6,429 Israelis have died of the virus. A total of 5,538,209 Israelis have received at least the first dose of the vaccine, and over 5.1 million have received both doses.

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The National Corona Information and Knowledge Center has published a new report on the scope of COVID spread in Israel and recommended that the government make masks mandatory indoors, a policy that was lifted only last week.

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The report, which came out on Tuesday, cited a "real outbreak."

Some local authorities are not waiting for the national government, and the city of Kfar Saba and the Southern Sharon Regional Council have issued instructions making masks mandatory in schools and at graduation parties held in enclosed spaced.

According to the National Corona Information and Knowledge Center, "the virus coefficient and the infections are arriving from abroad – and currently include confirmed cases who arrived from abroad as well as Israelis who contracted the virus in Israel. In the past few days, there has been a rise in the number of confirmed cases, mainly in light of outbreaks in Israel, and the coefficient reflects the state of infection in the country."

The report went on to say that "however, given the high rate of vaccination in Israel, at this stage we still cannot state that the outbreak will be a long-term one, but in light of the numbers that continue to rise, we must take drastic action to cut off chains of infection to bring the outbreak under control, including reinstating some COVID restrictions (masks worn indoors.)"

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry, in conjunction with the Prime Minister's Office, is preparing to instate a system of fines for Israelis who violate COVID travel bans and visit countries Israel has labeled "red" due to high rates of COVID spread and contagious variants, the ministry announced this week.

"In the past few days, we are seeing new COVID infection incidents. Led by the prime minister, on Sunday we convened a special meeting with top officials in the health and transportation ministries and the National Security Council to assess the situation. In the meeting, a decision about a series of immediate steps was taken," Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said.

"When it comes to Israelis visiting banned countries, it turns out that the travel ban, which was established by the previous government, did not include effective enforcement measures. Led by the prime minister, we made some important decisions: within a few days, we will institute stringent enforcement at the airport for those who travel to banned countries, and heavily fine anyone who dismisses the instructions and puts the health of Israeli citizens at risk," Horowitz added.

The current list of countries to which Israelis are not permitted to travel includes Argentina Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, and India. Countries under a travel warning, but will not entail fines for Israelis who visit there, include the Seychelles, the United Arab Emirates, and the Maldives.

Of the 264 cases identified in the country since the beginning of June, 112 of them were people who flew into the country, according to the Times of Israel. 

Public health and infectious disease experts said health experts say that the majority of new cases stem from the Delta variant of the disease, which origins have been traced back to India and are thought to have been transported back to Israel by travelers returning from abroad.

On Monday, the Health Ministry announced that 88 new cases of coronavirus had been identified by 5 p.m., the highest daily number seen in months.

The figure is nearly double the 48 cases recorded on Sunday.

The last time more than 80 cases were recorded in a single day was April 29, when 94 cases were identified.

The final daily figure is likely to be even higher.

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The city of Binyamina remains the epicenter of this resumption of the epidemic, with 43 confirmed cases, making it the first city to be marked "yellow" or medium risk in months.

There are 38 cases in Jerusalem, 36 in Modi'in, and 16 cases in Tel Aviv, with all other places in the country having 15 or fewer cases.

There are a total of 387 cases nationwide, and 51 people hospitalized, including 24 in serious condition.

Ran Saar, head of the Maccabi healthcare provider, told Army Radio that he had seen a sharp increase in the number of people getting vaccinated and that authorities predicted the numbers to rise.

Saar said people shouldn't be too worried about the resumption of the outbreak, which he attributed to the Delta variant, as long as the government took care to enforce quarantines and ensure that people get tested.

However, also on Monday, head of the World Health Organization's health emergencies program Dr. Mike Ryan said at a news conference that the Delta variant was the "fastest and fittest" COVID strain yet identified, and would "pick off" vulnerable people, particularly in areas with low vaccination rates.

A sub-variant of the original "Indian variant" of COVID, Delta has the potential for greater lethality because it's more efficient in the way it transmits between humans and it will eventually find those vulnerable individuals who will become severely ill, have to be hospitalized and potentially die," Ryan said.

i24NEWS contributed to this report

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"The coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent, and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action," EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel said.

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"The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation," their joint statement goes on to say.

The rebuke comes in response to a ban on all EU travelers and those who visited the Schengen zone in the past two weeks, which US President Donald Trump announced late Wednesday.

Trump said the ban on travelers from the zone would come into effect at midnight Friday, and would not affect US citizens returning from Europe. Britain, which is not part of the Schengen zone – or, at this point, the EU – will not be affected by the ban.

The US president briefly caused alarm as he announced that a "tremendous amount of trade and cargo" would also be banned, forcing officials to clarify the measures would apply only to humans, not goods.

While the UK is not part of the travel ban, British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak also seemed to push back on Trump's move in an interview for BBC radio.

"The advice we are getting is that there isn't evidence that interventions like closing borders or travel bans are going to have a material effect on the spread of the infection," he said.

This article was originally published by i24NEWS

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In a statement posted online Saturday, she said that Netanyahu's decision to ban a visit by two Democratic congresswomen was "a welcome sign that I never have to enter any country or place under your authority."

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At the urging of US President Donald Trump, Israel denied entry to Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) last week over their support for the Palestinian-led movement to boycott Israel. The two are outspoken critics of Trump and of Israel.

"I know that Donald Trump, the accidental occupant of the White House, is drawn to successful bullies," Steinem wrote, addressing Netanyahu.

"If you and Trump continue to imitate each other, you will eventually be alone together at the table. I could wish both of you no greater punishment than that."

Israel later granted permission for Tlaib to visit her grandmother in the West Bank, and released a letter signed by Tlaib in which she promised not to advocate boycotts during her visit. Tlaib then declined to come, saying Israel's "oppressive" conditions were designed to humiliate her. Israel accused her of staging a provocation.

Tlaib tweeted that she could not allow Israel to "use my love for my sity to bow down to their oppressive & racist policies."

"Sitty," spelled different ways in English, is an Arabic term of endearment for one's grandmother.

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