Palestinian
Territories: Israeli Settlements
(Islington North) (Ind)
8. Whether it remains the Government’s policy that Israeli
settlements in the Palestinian territories are illegal.
The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Affairs ()
Yes.
If the Israeli Government settlements are illegal, why did the UK
Government vote against referring them to the International Court
of Justice at the United Nations? What sanctions are being
applied to Israel for supplying arms and trading with illegally
produced settlement products? If those settlements are completely
illegal, as the Government say, why are we having anything to do
with them at all? Why did we change our stance at the United
Nations?
The United Kingdom opposes unilateral resolutions that damage
efforts to advance dialogue and therefore damage the prospects of
a two-state solution. The UK’s position on settlements has been
clear, consistent and unambiguous. We continue to work towards a
negotiated two-state solution. We strongly believe that that is
in the best interests of Israelis and Palestinians. That will
remain our policy.
(South Norfolk) (Con)
Having recently had the opportunity to visit the west bank with
the International Development Committee, I was able to understand
just how much worse conditions have become in the past 10 years
or so for Palestinian families wishing to see one another within
the west bank. What steps have the Government taken to impress
upon the Israeli Government how poorly we regard moves to
balkanise the west bank itself? What further can be done?
We enjoy a close and professional working relationship with the
Government of Israel, which allows us to raise areas of
co-ordination and co-operation but also issues where we disagree.
Our position on the west bank and settlements is clear, and we
have highlighted the importance for not just the Palestinian
people but for Israel and Israelis of maintaining a credible
route to a viable Palestinian state. We strongly believe that is
in Israel’s best interests, and therefore we do speak out—we have
done in the past, and we will do again—if decisions are made that
we believe jeopardise the credible option of a viable two-state
solution.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Enfield, Southgate)
(Lab)
We are deeply concerned by the escalating violence in Israel and
the west bank, and Labour joins the international community in
condemning the recent attacks and deploring the deaths of
civilians. In response to my letter about forced evictions and
demolitions in Masafer Yatta, the Minister for the Middle East
said that the Government were
“clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances,
demolitions and forced evictions are contrary to International
Humanitarian Law… and harmful to efforts to promote peace.”
Can the Secretary of State tell us what steps are being taken to
ensure that Israel stops the eviction of Palestinians from their
homes and what efforts are being made to support negotiations to
keep alive the prospect of a two-state solution, with a safe and
secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestine?
I had a telephone conversation with the recently appointed
Israeli Foreign Minister, in which I congratulated him on his
appointment and also made it clear that the UK’s long-standing
position on peace in the region remains as passionate now as it
ever was. We always encourage calm responses by the Israeli
Government and restraint and professionalism while they pursue
their own legitimate attempts at self-defence. We look at the
deaths that are happening in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian
Territories, which of course are deeply distressing. We will
continue working directly with the Israeli Government, partners
in the region and other interested countries around the world to
pursue peace and de-escalation and to try to make real our
collective desire for a peaceful, sustainable two-state solution.
(South West Bedfordshire)
(Con)
T2. We all condemn the violence that has led to the death
of so many Palestinians and Israelis this month. Can the Foreign
Secretary confirm that the UK still regards Israeli settlements
as a flagrant breach of international law, as specified in
Security Council resolution 2334, which I understand was largely
written by the United Kingdom? If that remains the case, what is
the penalty for those continued breaches?
I can assure my hon. Friend that our position on the illegality
of those settlements remains unchanged. We raise the matter with
Israel. As I have said, in my initial call with the Israeli
Foreign Minister, I raised our desire for a meaningful, peaceful
two-state solution. We will always speak out when we believe that
something is happening with which we disagree, but we will always
seek to provide a route to reconciliation, to dialogue, to
de-escalation and ultimately to the delivery of that peaceful,
sustainable two-state solution.
(Birmingham, Northfield)
(Con)
T8. Last month, the Prime Minister heralded the
international fund for Israeli-Palestinian peace as an exciting
new way of empowering peaceful co-existence. Does the Foreign
Secretary share my passionate support for this groundbreaking
initiative? Will he commit the UK to being at the heart of the
effort to prepare for the much sought-after two-state solution as
we deepen the Abraham accords?
The Abraham accords were groundbreaking. The UK supported them at
the time, and we continue to support them. We will explore
opportunities to make the most of that normalisation of
relationships, particularly at the moment, when there is a real
desire to de-escalate the current tensions that we are seeing in
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. I can assure my
hon. Friend that I personally and the ministerial team put a huge
amount of effort into ensuring that.
(Blackpool South) (Con)
Does my right hon. Friend share my concern that the glorification
of martyrdom within Palestinian society remains a key obstacle to
any future lasting peace agreements? That includes the payment of
salaries to convicted terrorists by the Palestinian Authority,
with higher salaries going to those who have killed more
Israelis.
If there is to be any chance of a sustainable peace in Israel and
the OPTs, it is incredibly important that people recognise the
importance of tolerance and of working and living together. When
I first became a Minister in the Department, I raised with the
then Palestinian Education Minister the situation relating to
textbooks being used in Palestinian schools. We will continue to
work to encourage greater understanding and co-operation, rather
than allowing this divisive narrative to be imposed on young
Palestinian children.
