The Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters)
Bill was at committee stage in the Lords and will
continue on April 17
Economic Activity of Public
Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill - committee stage proceedings
Government response to
Petitions
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Ceasefire and the state of Palestine
The petition of residents of the constituency of Glasgow
East,
Declares that the attacks by Hamas on Israel on
7th October 2023 were acts of terror, and unequivocally condemns
the taking of hostages and the loss of innocent lives in those
attacks; further that the petitioners condemn the
disproportionate response of the Israel Defence
Column 8Pis located here
[Toggle showing location of Column 8P](#)
Forces, and affirms that there must be an end to the collective
punishment of the Palestinian people; further declares for the
urgent release of all hostages and an end to the siege of Gaza to
allow vital supplies of food, fuel, medicine and water to reach
the civilian population; further declares support for the calls
by the United Nations and many other international actors for an
immediate ceasefire on all sides of the conflict and supports the
global consensus in support of a two-state solution with a
sovereign, prosperous Palestinian state, living side by side with
a safe and secure Israel and notes the
resolution of the House of Commons on 13th October 2014 calling
on the UK Government to recognise the state of Palestine
alongside the state of Israel
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges
the Government to join with others in the international community
in urgently pressing all parties to agree to an immediate
ceasefire, and to call on the UK Government to recognise the
state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel
And the petitioners remain, etc.[—[Presented by , Official Report, 6 February
2024; Vol. 745, c.
220.]](/search/column?VolumeNumber=745&ColumnNumber=220&House=1)
[P002911]
Observations from the Minister of State for the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office, :
We want the fighting to stop now. An agreement will allow for
vital life-saving aid to be delivered to Gaza, hostages to be
released and progress made towards a sustainable, permanent
ceasefire.
Israel suffered the worst terror attack in its history at the
hands of Hamas.
Palestinian civilians are facing a dire, devastating and growing
humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
We want the fighting to stop now. An agreement will allow for
vital life-saving aid to be delivered to Gaza and get hostages
out. It will also allow for progress towards a sustainable,
permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting
and loss of life.
Vital elements for a lasting peace include the release of all
hostages; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the
west bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support
package; removing Hamas’s capacity to launch attacks
against Israel Hamas no longer
being in charge of Gaza; and a political horizon which provides a
credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state
solution.
The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and Minister of State for
the Middle East have reiterated these points in their contacts
with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli political
leaders, as well as with leaders in Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Saudi
Arabia and Lebanon in recent weeks.
We need to see an end to civilian casualties and a robust
deconfliction mechanism. All parties must act within
international humanitarian law (IHL). Israel must limit its
operations to military targets and avoid harming civilians and
destroying homes.
Palestinians are facing a devastating and shocking humanitarian
crisis. We trebled our aid commitment this financial year and we
are doing everything we can Column 9Pis located here
[Toggle showing location of Column 9P](#)
to get more aid in and open more crossings. The UK and our
partners are stepping up our efforts to get aid in as quickly as
possible by land, sea and air.
The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to
support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN
World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society
(ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter
and security needs in Gaza.
Israel must also take immediate steps, working with other
partners including the UN and Egypt, to significantly increase
the flow of aid into Gaza, opening more routes into Gaza and
restoring and sustaining water, fuel and electricity. This must
happen to prevent suffering and the projected starvation of
civilians, particularly in northern Gaza.
The Foreign Secretary has appointed his Representative for
Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, who
is based in the region and is working intensively to address the
blockages preventing more aid reaching Gaza.
We must give the people of the west bank and Gaza the political
perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new
future, and it needs to be irreversible.
This is not entirely in our gift, but Britain and our partners
can help by confirming our commitment to a sovereign, viable
Palestine, and our focus for its composition.
Crucially, we must state our clear intention to grant Palestine
recognition, including at the United Nations. That cannot come at
the start of the process, but it does not have to be the very end
of the process.
We support a two-state solution that guarantees security and
stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.
Ceasefire and the State of Palestine
The petition of residents of the constituency of Glasgow
North,
Declares that the attacks by Hamas on Israel on
7th October 2023 were acts of terror, and unequivocally condemns
the taking of hostages and the loss of innocent lives in those
attacks; further that the petitioners condemn the
disproportionate response of the Israel Defence
Forces, and affirms that there must be an end to the collective
punishment of the Palestinian people; further declares for the
urgent release of all hostages and an end to the siege of Gaza to
allow vital supplies of food, fuel, medicine and water to reach
the civilian population; further declares support for the calls
by the United Nations and many other international actors for an
immediate ceasefire on all sides of the conflict and supports the
global consensus in support of a two-state solution with a
sovereign, prosperous Palestinian state, living side by side with
a safe and secure Israel and notes the
resolution of the House of Commons on 13th October 2014 calling
on the UK Government to recognise the state of Palestine
alongside the state of Israel
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges
the Government to join with others in the international community
in urgently pressing all parties to agree to an immediate
ceasefire, and to call on the UK Government to recognise the
state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel
And the petitioners remain, etc.[—[Presented by , Official Report, 30 January
2024; Vol. 744, c.
832.]](/search/column?VolumeNumber=744&ColumnNumber=832&House=1)
[P002908]
Observations from the Minister of State for the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office, :
We want the fighting to stop now. An agreement will allow for
vital life-saving aid to be delivered to Gaza, hostages to be
released and progress made towards a sustainable, permanent
ceasefire.
Israel suffered the worst terror attack in its history at the
hands of Hamas.
Palestinian civilians are facing a dire, devastating and growing
humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
We want the fighting to stop now. An agreement will allow for
vital life-saving aid to be delivered to Gaza and get hostages
out. It will also allow for progress towards a sustainable,
permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting
and loss of life.
Vital elements for a lasting peace include the release of all
hostages; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the
west bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support
package; removing Hamas’s capacity to launch attacks
against Israel Hamas no longer
being in charge of Gaza; and a political horizon which provides a
credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state
solution.
The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and Minister of State for
the Middle East have reiterated these points in their contacts
with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli political
leaders, as well as with leaders in Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Saudi
Arabia and Lebanon in recent weeks.
We need to see an end to civilian casualties and a robust
deconfliction mechanism. All parties must act within
International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Israel must limit its
operations to military targets and avoid harming civilians and
destroying homes.
Palestinians are facing a devastating and shocking humanitarian
crisis. We trebled our aid commitment this financial year and we
are doing everything we can to get more aid in and open more
crossings. The UK and our partners are stepping up our efforts to
get aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air.
The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to
support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN
World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society
(ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter
and security needs in Gaza.
Israel must also take immediate steps, working with other
partners including the UN and Egypt, to significantly increase
the flow of aid into Gaza, opening more routes into Gaza and
restoring and sustaining water, fuel and electricity. This must
happen to prevent suffering and the projected starvation of
civilians, particularly in northern Gaza.
The Foreign Secretary has appointed his Representative for
Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, who
is based in the region and is working intensively to address the
blockages preventing more aid reaching Gaza.
We must give the people of the west bank and Gaza the political
perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new
future, and it needs to be irreversible.
This is not entirely in our gift, but Britain and our partners
can help by confirming our commitment to a sovereign, viable
Palestine, and our focus for its composition.
Crucially, we must state our clear intention to grant Palestine
recognition, including at the United Nations. That cannot come at
the start of the process, but it does not have to be the very end
of the process.
We support a two-state solution that guarantees security and
stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.
Ceasefire in Gaza
The petition of residents of the constituency of Manchester
Gorton,
Declares that an urgent, immediate and sustained ceasefire is
needed in Gaza to prevent the humanitarian crisis from
intensifying; further declares condemnation for the killing of
the civilians, the bombing of public infrastructure, and the
targeting of journalists; calls for the immediate release of
Israeli hostages being held by Hamas; and notes that an immediate
end to the violence is urgent to ensure the viability for a
peaceful two-state solution.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges
the Government to call on Israel and Hamas to
implement an immediate ceasefire to prevent further bloodshed and
damage so that a peaceful two-state solution may be achieved in
Palestine and Israel
And the petitioners remain, etc.[—[Presented by , Official Report, 24 January
2024; Vol. 744, c.
406.]](/search/column?VolumeNumber=744&ColumnNumber=406&House=1)
[P002905]
Observations from the Minister of State for the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office, :
We want the fighting to stop now. An agreement will allow for
vital life-saving aid to be delivered to Gaza, hostages to be
released and progress made towards a sustainable, permanent
ceasefire.
Israel suffered the worst terror attack in its history at the
hands of Hamas.
Palestinian civilians are facing a dire, devastating and growing
humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
We want the fighting to stop now. An agreement will allow for
vital life-saving aid to be delivered to Gaza, hostages to be
released and progress made towards a sustainable, permanent
ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of
life.
Vital elements for a lasting peace include the release of all
hostages; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the
West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support
package; removing Hamas’s capacity to launch attacks
against Israel Hamas no longer
being in charge of Gaza; and a political horizon which provides a
credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state
solution.
The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and Minister of State for
the Middle East have reiterated these points in their contacts
with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli political
leaders, as well as with leaders in Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Saudi
Arabia and Lebanon in recent weeks.
We need to see an end to civilian casualties and a robust
deconfliction mechanism. All parties must act within
international humanitarian law (IHL). Israel must limit its
operations to military targets and avoid harming civilians and
destroying homes.
Palestinians are facing a devastating and shocking humanitarian
crisis. We trebled our aid commitment this financial year and we
are doing everything we can to get more aid in and open more
crossings. The UK and our partners are stepping up our efforts to
get aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air.
The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to
support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN
World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society
(ERCS) in responding to critical food, fuel, water, health,
shelter and security needs in Gaza.
Israel must also take immediate steps, working with other
partners including the UN and Egypt, to significantly increase
the flow of aid into Gaza, opening more routes into Gaza and
restoring and sustaining water, fuel and electricity. This must
happen to prevent suffering and the projected starvation of
civilians, particularly in northern Gaza.
The Foreign Secretary has appointed his Representative for
Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, who
is based in the region and is working intensively to address the
blockages preventing more aid reaching Gaza.
We must give the people of the west bank and Gaza the political
perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new
future, and it needs to be irreversible.
This is not entirely in our gift, but Britain and our partners
can help by confirming our commitment to a sovereign, viable
Palestine, and our focus for its composition.
Crucially, we must state our clear intention to grant Palestine
recognition, including at the United Nations. That cannot come at
the start of the process, but it does not have to be the very end
of the process.
We support a two-state solution that guarantees security and
stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.
Ceasefire in Palestine
The petition of the residents of the constituency of Linlithgow
and East Falkirk,
Declares that the attacks by Hamas on Israel on
7th October 2023 were acts of terror, and unequivocally condemns
the taking of hostages and the loss of innocent lives in those
attacks; condemns the disproportionate response of
the Israel Defence Forces,
including acts which the International Court of Justice have said
are plausibly genocide; mourns the growing death toll of women,
men and children; further that the petitioners declare for the
urgent release of all hostages and an end to the siege of Gaza to
allow vital supplies of food, fuel, medicine and water to reach
the civilian population; and notes the calls by the United
Nations for an immediate ceasefire on all sides of the conflict
and the global consensus in support of a two-state solution.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges
the Government to join with others in the international community
in urgently pressing all parties to agree to an immediate
ceasefire, so that the process of rebuilding and finding a
lasting peace with a two-state solution can commence.
And the petitioners remain, etc. —[Presented by , Official Report, 21 February
2024; Vol. 745, c.
811.](/search/column?VolumeNumber=745&ColumnNumber=811&House=1)
[P002917]
Observations from the Minister of State for the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office, :
We want the fighting to stop now. An agreement will allow for
vital life-saving aid to be delivered to Gaza, hostages to be
released and progress made towards a sustainable, permanent
ceasefire.
Israel suffered the worst terror attack in its history at the
hands of Hamas.
Palestinian civilians are facing a dire, devastating and growing
humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
We want the fighting to stop now. An agreement will allow for
vital life-saving aid to be delivered to Gaza and get hostages
out. It will also allow for progress towards a sustainable,
permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting
and loss of life.
Vital elements for a lasting peace include the release of all
hostages; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the
west bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support
package; removing Hamas’s capacity to launch attacks
against Israel Hamas no longer
being in charge of Gaza; and a political horizon which provides a
credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state
solution.
The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and Minister of State for
the Middle East have reiterated these points in their contacts
with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli political
leaders, as well as with leaders in Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Saudi
Arabia and Lebanon in recent weeks.
We need to see an end to civilian casualties and a robust
deconfliction mechanism. All parties must act within
international humanitarian law (IHL). Israel must limit its
operations to military targets and avoid harming civilians and
destroying homes.
We respect the role and independence of the ICJ. ICJ provisional
measures are binding on the parties.
Our view is that Israel’s actions in Gaza cannot be described as
a genocide, but we also remain clear that formal determination of
genocide should be based upon the judgement of a competent
court.
The Court’s call for the immediate release of hostages and the
need to get more aid into Gaza is a position we have long
advocated.
Palestinians are facing a devastating and shocking humanitarian
crisis. We trebled our aid commitment this financial year and we
are doing everything we can to get more aid in and open more
crossings. The UK and our partners are stepping up our efforts to
get aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air.
The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to
support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN
World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society
(ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter
and security needs in Gaza.
Israel must also take immediate steps, working with other
partners including the UN and Egypt, to significantly increase
the flow of aid into Gaza, opening more routes into Gaza and
restoring and sustaining water, fuel and electricity. This must
happen to prevent suffering and the projected starvation of
civilians, particularly in northern Gaza.
The Foreign Secretary has appointed his Representative for
Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, who
is based in the region and is working intensively to address the
blockages preventing more aid reaching Gaza.
We must give the people of the west bank and Gaza the political
perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new
future, and it needs to be irreversible.
This is not entirely in our gift, but Britain and our partners
can help by confirming our commitment to a sovereign, viable
Palestine, and our focus for its composition.
Crucially, we must state our clear intention to grant Palestine
recognition, including at the United Nations. That cannot come at
the start of the process, but it does not have to be the very end
of the process.
We support a two-state solution that guarantees security and
stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.
