West Bank Julie Elliott (Sunderland Central) (Lab) 10. What
recent discussions he has had with the Government of Israel on the
status of Palestinian communities in area C of the west bank
threatened with demolition. [901949] Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and
Loudoun) (SNP) 13. What recent discussions he has had with
the Government of Israel on the status of Palestinian communities
in area...Request free trial
West Bank
-
(Sunderland Central)
(Lab)
10. What recent discussions he has had with the Government of
Israel on the status of Palestinian communities in area C of
the west bank threatened with demolition. [901949]
-
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
(SNP)
13. What recent discussions he has had with the Government of
Israel on the status of Palestinian communities in area C of
the west bank threatened with demolition. [901952]
-
The Minister for the Middle East (Alistair Burt)
We are seriously concerned by the continued demolition of
Palestinian property by the Israeli authorities, which causes
unnecessary suffering and is harmful to peace. We regularly
raise this issue, and our embassy in Tel Aviv most recently
raised our concerns with Israel in a joint démarche with
European partners on 2 November.
-
I thank the Minister for his answer. As we know, we have
recently seen a very clear indication from Israel’s Defence
Minister about the intention to demolish the communities of
Khan al-Ahmar and Susiya, and the military has issued a
demarcation order signalling the intention to evacuate
communities in the Jordan valley and E1 areas. Does the
Minister agree that Israel must be held to account if those
things actually take place?
-
This is the subject of a continued conversation with the
Israeli authorities in which we make it clear, as do others,
that the threat to settlements is unacceptable. I have
visited both places—Khan al-Ahmar some years ago, and Susiya
quite recently—as have representatives from the embassy. We
wait to see further developments. There is a lot of talk
about further demolitions, but then the legal process holds
them back. However, Israel can be in no doubt of our concerns
about the demolition of Palestinian properties and the damage
that that does for the prospects of a peaceful settlement.
-
The reality is that 100,000 hectares of Palestinian land have
been taken for settlements and 50,000 homes have been
demolished. Will the Minister at least call on the Israeli
Government to lift the demolition order on the Bedouin
village of Susiya, to which he referred? Will he put in place
measures, such as guidance to UK businesses that they stop
trading with illegal settlements, in a bid to break this
cycle?
-
We will keep our existing trade relationships, which allow
customers to make their own decisions about where the goods
they buy come from. We are making our position on settlements
extremely clear, and we will continue to do so.
-
(Harrow East) (Con)
I thank the Minister for his answers. When Prime Minister
Netanyahu was in London recently, what discussions did my
right hon. Friend have with him about face-to-face peace
talks between the state of Israel and the Palestinians so
that we can create a state of Palestine alongside a secure
state of Israel?
-
When the Prime Minister met Prime Minister Netanyahu on 2
November, she reiterated our continued opposition to
settlement activity, and also encouraged him to make the most
of the likely opportunities that will come up when the
Americans bring forward the proposals they have been
discussing privately for some months about the prospects of
peace. This chance should not be missed by either side.
-
(Aberdeen South)
(Con)
This year marks 40 years since Egyptian President Sadat’s
historic visit to Israel, which led to a lasting peace
between Israel and Egypt. Peace has only lasted when Israel’s
neighbours have reciprocated its goodwill gestures, with land
swaps a key aspect of that. Does my right hon. Friend agree
that there can be peace between Israel and Palestinians only
following the resumption of direct peace talks in which
issues including land borders can be resolved?
-
The short answer is yes, but I do not think we should miss
the 40th anniversary of the extraordinary activity that took
place between Israel and Egypt. What we would give now for a
similar gesture of peace on all sides to bring this
long-standing conflict to an end.
-
(Hornsey and Wood Green)
(Lab)
Does the Minister believe, with particular reference to
Israel and the west bank, that holding children in detention
constitutes a breach of the United Nations convention on the
rights of the child?
-
We express repeated concerns to Israel about the treatment of
children and ask it to adhere to UN principles on that. We
continue to raise this matter of long-standing concern.
Topical
Questions
-
(Rochester and
Strood) (Con)
T5. In April last year, I had the pleasure of visiting
Palestine, but also the sadness of witnessing a young
Palestinian boy being tried in an Israeli military court
for throwing stones, with no choice of representation and
the whole process conducted in Hebrew. We stand up for
fairness, so will the Minister tell me whether his
Department plans to review the “Children in Military
Custody” report that was funded by his Department and
published in 2012? [901935]
-
The Minister for the Middle East (Alistair Burt)
We continue to urge Israel to implement the
recommendations in the “Children in Military Custody”
report. I raised the issue with the Israeli authorities
during my visit to Israel in August 2017, and Ministers
and the British ambassador to Tel Aviv have spoken and
written to the Israeli Justice Minister and the Israeli
Attorney General. The UK continues to have strong
concerns about reports of the ill treatment of
Palestinian minors in Israeli military detention.
-
(Birmingham, Northfield) (Lab)
The military orders issued against the Bedouin
villages of Jabal al-Baba, Ain al-Hilweh and Umm
el-Jimal will involve the forcible transfer of over
400 people, which the director of the Israeli human
rights organisation B’Tselem has described as a war
crime. If Israel believes such actions can continue
without consequence, what reason will it have to
think it should do anything other than carry on with
such actions with impunity?
-
The hon. Gentleman’s words and concerns are echoed by
the United Kingdom. As has repeatedly been made
clear, we believe that concerns about demolitions,
threatened demolitions and movements make a peace
settlement more difficult, and we are repeatedly in
contact with Israel about that. We still hope that
current events in the region give Israel an
opportunity to recognise that it can have a secure
viable future with a two-state solution. We will do
everything in our power to press it to take that
opportunity, as the Palestinians should as well.
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