Asked by Baroness Tonge To ask Her Majesty’s Government what
assessment they have made of living conditions in Gaza. The
Minister of State, Department for International Development (Lord
Bates) (Con) My Lords, the UK is very concerned about Gaza.
We assess that around 1.6 million people are in need of
humanitarian assistance. Households are...Request free trial
Asked by
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To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have
made of living conditions in Gaza.
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The Minister of State, Department for International
Development (Lord Bates) (Con)
My Lords, the UK is very concerned about Gaza. We assess
that around 1.6 million people are in need of humanitarian
assistance. Households are receiving only five to six hours
of electricity per day, there is limited access to safe
water and power shortages are impeding health provision.
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(Non-Afl)
My Lords, I am glad that the Minister has such an
understanding of what is going on in Gaza. Let me add that
it is so good to see him in his place.
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Noble Lords
Hear, hear!
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However, with all these things that we hear are going on in
Gaza, does the Minister agree that its people have now for
10 years been suffering cruel and degrading treatment,
which amounts to the collective punishment of nearly 2
million people, more than half of whom are children? How
long must this go on? How long will it be before our
Government take some action?
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We are taking immediate action in the sense that we are
providing humanitarian aid. The assistance that we are
providing to UNRWA is helping some 1.1 million of the 1.9
million people who are there, but I have to say that the
parties to the conflict must be the parties to the
solution. There is an opportunity here in Gaza for its
people to recognise the state of Israel, to renounce
violence and to accept the agreements that are there to
allow the situation to normalise and progress, as has
happened in the Palestinian Authority areas. It is a
desperate situation and we call on all those people to put
the children, the women and the people of Gaza at the heart
of their concerns.
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(Lab)
My Lords, the Minister mentioned UNRWA. We know that at the
end of last year the US threatened its funding of UNRWA,
which does such vital work. The EU and United Kingdom are
the second and third biggest funders. What discussions have
the UK Government had with the US Government to ensure that
they do not follow through on the threat of withdrawing
such significant funds from UNRWA?
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Our understanding is that of $125 million due to be paid to
UNRWA in January, $65 million was withheld. We have made the
consequences of doing that very clear to our US friends. We
have also made clear our strong support for UNRWA. At the
same time, the US rightly points out that it is responsible
for a significant proportion of UNRWA’s budget. Whereas the
UK, France, Germany and Saudi Arabia contribute around $60
million to $70 million, the US contributes some $360 million.
The US has said that it wants more countries that are
expressing concern about Gaza to reach into their pockets and
put money into the situation as well. We continue to hope
that the situation will be resolved very quickly, as we
believe that the longer it goes on, the more damage it does
to the people of Gaza and the Palestinian refugees for whom
UNRWA is responsible.
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(Con)
My Lords, is my noble friend familiar with the case of Ahed
Tamimi, the teenage Palestinian girl currently in custody and
subject to a trial behind closed doors? Have any
representations been made by Her Majesty’s Government in
relation to this detained teenager? Do they have any concerns
about reports that she may be subjected to sexual violence
while in detention?
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Those are very serious concerns. We are aware of the case. My
noble friend will be aware, from her former distinguished
role in the Foreign Office, that representations have been
made. They have certainly been made at a diplomatic level. I
believe they have also been made at a ministerial level but I
will correct that if it is not the case. We remain very
concerned about the situation and will be seeking its urgent
resolution.
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(LD)
What representations have been made to the Israeli Government
about the 54 Palestinian patients who, according to the World
Health Organization, died while awaiting permits to exit Gaza
for medical treatment in 2017?
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We continue to work through that, most importantly by trying
to ease the effect of those restrictions. We are major
funders of a body called the UN Access Coordination Unit. We
are trying to work through that body to ensure that the
majority of people who need medical treatment get access to
it in a timely manner. But we remain very concerned about
those reports.
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(CB)
My Lords—
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(Lab)
My Lords—
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The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park)
(Con)
My Lords, it is the turn of the Cross Benches.
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My Lords, as a former chairman of Medical Aid for
Palestinians, I entirely endorse the remarks of the noble
Baroness, Lady Tonge. Do the Government realise the appalling
effect of conditions in Gaza on Arab and Muslim opinion
throughout the world? Do they give sufficient priority,
effort and importance to tackling this abysmal situation? It
has gone on for 10 or 20 years and it is appalling.
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I certainly echo the view that it is absolutely appalling.
The suffering in Gaza is a shame on humanity. Of course, the
question then is: what do you do about it and who can unlock
this process? We believe that the parties to the conflict
have to come together and, in the interests of humanitarian
need, resolve their differences. We believe that there is a
possibility. We recognise that Israel has taken some steps
down this road recently by easing some of the restrictions on
access to construction materials. There has been some
movement in Cairo in Egypt—of course, Egypt blocks the border
to the south as well—where there have been some efforts at
reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. All the elements are
there. It is frustratingly close. To see so much suffering
continuing is a tragedy.
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(Lab)
My Lords, given that the Government’s policy, and that of
their predecessor, has for years rightly been to support a
two-state solution, is it not something of an anomaly that we
recognise only one state in the area? When will the
Government give further consideration to the recommendation
of this House’s International Relations Committee, which was
that we should consider recognition of the state of
Palestine? That would be a very significant step forward and
give long-overdue dignity to the Palestinian people. When
will the Government move in that direction?
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It is a very sensitive situation and the noble Lord is right
to raise the point. The answer to the very influential report
that was prepared is to say that that recognition will come
when we believe that it will contribute to helping the peace
process. Our belief is that recognition at this stage would
not be helpful in the Middle East peace process, continued
work on which is our primary concern at this time.
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