Extract from Queen's
Speech debate (Day 2) on Britain’s Place in the
World
(Henley) (Con): Let me be as
positive as my right hon. Friend about our place in the world. This
Government have made a big effort to encourage investment from
Israel and to encourage bilateral treaties with it. What will
happen about that in the future, and how will we take it forward?
The Secretary of State for International Development (): I pay tribute to my hon.
Friend for the work he does as a trade envoy in Africa. He has
talked about trade deals in the future. We are, of course, having
relentlessly positive discussions about those, but, as I have
said, we must first make sure that we get Brexit done before we
move on to the next stage of this agenda.
I campaigned to remain in the European Union, but ahead of the
vote I said that I would respect the outcome of the national
referendum, and in 2017, along with the vast majority of Members,
I stood on a manifesto to deliver on that outcome. Well, it is
high time we honoured that promise to respect the vote to leave.
We must get Brexit done. We do want to leave the European Union
with a deal, and that is why we have set out our fair and
reasonable proposals. I believe that, should we get a deal, it is
the responsibility of the whole House to deliver Brexit without
further delay...
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Extract from Lords
debate on the Queen's Speech
(Non-Afl):...Of course,
I must mention Israel which has occupied Palestinian
lands now for 50 years, destroying homes, land and people, and
blockading Gaza, causing immense suffering to the people of
that land. Gaza, I remind noble Lords, has been deemed to be
becoming uninhabitable by the United Nations, yet 2 million
people are imprisoned there, denied their human rights in every
respect—no clean water, scanty electricity supplies, limited food
and medicines and denied access to medical and surgical
treatment. Noble Lords all know the truth, even though some
Members of this House turn a blind eye and do not want to know.
The Government of Israel break international law and the
Geneva Convention, and deny the Palestinian people their human
rights. What do our Government do—apart from blaming Hamas for
everything, of course? They increase trade links and co-operation
with the Israeli Government as a reward, year on year. It was
fascinating to hear today that the Government immediately slapped
sanctions on the arms trade with Turkey when it invaded
Syria—immediately, no question about it. Yet Saudi Arabia has
been doing the same thing in Yemen for years, causing terrible
famine, deprivation and damage, and the Government
of Israel have been causing immense
suffering to the Palestinians in the land designated for them.
Why do we not curb arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Israel if we do so to Turkey?
The European Union is equally guilty because the EU-Israel
association trade agreement depends on Israel respecting human rights but, when
challenged, EU officials merely point to countries within the EU
and say they should be taking take the lead. It cannot take the
lead collectively. Can we hope that, once we are out of the
European Union and no longer bound by the terrible tie of being
in it, the UK Government will take the lead and bring the
Government of Israel to order? Will our great new
relationship with the United States of America perhaps enable us
to bring pressure on the Government of America to stop being so
subservient to the Government of Israel? I doubt it...
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