Israel bars Democratic congresswomen from entering country

(CNN)Israel announced Thursday it was barring the entry of two US congresswomen after Donald Trump encouraged the move, a remarkable step both by the US President and his ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to punish political opponents.

Deputy foreign minister Tzipi Hotovely told CNN on Thursday of Israel's decision to ban Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar from entering the country. The announcement came shortly after Trump said Israel would be showing "great weakness" by allowing them to enter the country.
"The plan of the two Congresswomen is only to damage Israel and to foment against Israel," Netanyahu said in a statement following the decision.
The intervention by Trump into Israel's decision-making was extraordinary enough. But the move by Netanyahu's government lent the longstanding US-Israel alliance a new partisan tinge and opened the door for fresh criticism.