FRIDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2014
- Frank Roy: When did the Foreign Secretary last discuss with his Israeli counterpart the planned building of 1,000 new houses in Jerusalem?
Commons Written Answers
- Frank Roy: How much money was pledged by the UK Government at the recent International Donor Conference for Gaza held in Egypt?
Commons Written Answers
END
THURSDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2014
- Iran (UK Foreign Policy) – tabled by Jack Straw:
– Sir Richard Ottaway: “It [Iran] openly supports, and is funding, Hamas in its criticism of and aggression towards Israel; it is running a complex network of weapons-smuggling routes into Gaza, through Egypt, with the sole intention of attacking Israel—it is in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions on that; it has engaged in the funding of and support for attacks on Israeli diplomats around the world.” [extract]
– Richard Bacon: Says the Iranians not only offered to end their support for Hamas and pressure it to cease attacks on Israel, but: “perhaps most astonishingly of all, to accept the Beirut declaration of the Arab League—that is to say, the Saudi-sponsored peace plan from March 2002 in which all the Arab states offered collective peace, the normalising of relations with and diplomatic recognition of Israel, in return for Israel’s withdrawal from all the occupied territories, an agreement to share Jerusalem, an equitable solution to the Palestinian refugee issue and the adoption of the two state solution.”
– Philip Hollobone: “If it [Iran] really wants to do a deal with the west, why has it not backed off from supporting Hamas?”
– Guto Bebb: “It is difficult to deny that the strategic threat to Israel is not only the development of a nuclear capacity in Iran, but the daily threat faced by Israel from southern Lebanon and the Gaza strip. Clearly, there has been a degree of breach between Iran and Hamas, but the support to Hezbollah continues to be a strong element of Iranian foreign policy, which should concern anyone who wants a long-term settlement in the middle east, not least a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinian entity.” [extract]
– Guy Opperman: Says that Iran’s support for Hamas is something “we all find abhorrent”.
Commons Debates
- US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement – adjournment debate tabled by Jeremy Corbyn:
– John Spellar: Says it is crucial to remove the risks of war and instability including in the middle east. “That is why it is so important to achieve a two-state solution in Israel-Palestine, although Israel-Palestine is by no means the only source of tension in the middle east.”
House of Commons Hansard Debates for 06 Nov 2014 (pt 0001)
Westminster Hall
- Guto Bebb: What assessment has Foreign Secretary made of the consequences of President Abbas’ statement that the temporary closure of Temple Mount was a declaration of war?
Commons Written Answers
- Lord Kilclooney: What is HMG’s assessment of the decision by Israel to close access to Al-Aqsa mosque, and do they intend to raise the matter at the EU Council of Ministers?
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141106w0001.htm#14110639000324
- Baroness Tonge: What support are EU members giving to the UN Secretary-General’s investigation into Israeli attacks on UN facilities during Operation Protective Edge?
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141106w0001.htm#14110639000325
- Lord Kilclooney: What is HMG’s assessment of the decision by Israel to build a further 1,000 homes in East Jerusalem, and do they intend to raise the matter at the EU Council of Ministers?
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141106w0001.htm#14110639000329
- Baroness Tonge: How many Palestinians do HMG estimate to have been displaced from their homes in East Jerusalem during the last two years?
- Baroness Tonge: What action is the EU taking to ensure that East Jerusalem remains a part of Palestinian territory?
- Baroness Tonge: What discussions have HMG held with other European governments concerning the case for lifting the blockade of Gaza?
- Baroness Tonge: What discussions have HMG held with Israel concerning the planning of a Gazan seaport?
- Baroness Tonge: What discussions have HMG held with Israel concerning recent reports of an arrest by the Israeli military of a mentally disabled boy in Hebron?
- Baroness Tonge: What progress has been made concerning the treatment of children in military detention in Israel following the recommendations made by the FCO-funded report?
Nos 7-12 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141106w0001.htm#14110639000331
Nos 4-12 Lords Written Answers
WEDNESDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2014
- Oral Questions to DfID Secretary:
– Andrew Turner: What plans does she have to work with her international counterparts to address humanitarian needs in Gaza?
– Justine Greening: The UK will continue to work closely with international partners to address humanitarian needs in Gaza. We have already provided over £17 million in humanitarian assistance and recently committed a further £20 million at the international donor conference in Cairo to assist those affected, including hundreds of thousands left homeless as winter approaches. [extract]
– Andrew Turner: There are 1.8 million people in Gaza and it is physically smaller than the Isle of Wight. Does the Secretary of State accept that 485,000 people in Gaza need emergency food assistance and 273,000 people need school buildings for shelter and, most important of all, around 1 million people are desperate for work? What is the right hon. Lady doing about that? [text]
– JG: My hon. Friend raises some very good points. Gaza is one of the most densely populated parts of the world. As he says, we are, of course, providing shelter and basic services to many people, but we also increasingly work on private sector support, supporting livelihoods, and the key to that in the long term is a political settlement that means the economy in Gaza can thrive normally. [text]
– Sir Gerald Kaufman: Will the right hon. Lady condemn in the strongest terms the recent total closure of the Gaza border by Israel, in utter violation of the ceasefire, making it very difficult—even more difficult—for the aid she provides and the other aid for reconstruction after the terrible destruction imposed by the Israelis? This cannot go on. [text]
– JG: We are extremely concerned about the continued restrictions, which have a tremendous effect on the Gazan economy. Of course we understand the security concerns of Israel, but ultimately we need leadership from both parties to move forward to some political settlement. We will never get to provide the long-term support to people unless we can get in and out of Gaza easily and, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, that has been a very great problem for us. [text]
– Jason McCartney: Will the Secretary of State join me in thanking my constituents from Lockwood, Crosland Moor and Thornton Lodge for their fundraising efforts to help address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and will she confirm what steps the UK is taking to aid reconstruction in Gaza following the Cairo conference? [text]
– JG: I pay warm tribute to my hon. Friend’s constituents. They are among the millions of groups and communities around our country that do fantastic work supporting people in very difficult parts of our world. We are playing our role. Part of our announcement at the international donor conference was to make sure we can help fund some of the reconstruction that is now required in Gaza.
– Richard Burden: While I agree with the Secretary of State that a political settlement is vital, does she agree with me that there is still no excuse for Israeli forces firing on fishermen when all they are doing is trying to fish, or firing on farmers when all they are trying to do is farm their land, and what can she do to ensure that the Israeli forces stop doing this? [text]
– JG: We are always concerned about these sorts of incidents of violence. In the end, people will have to get back around the negotiating table, and we will have to have talks that go further than the ceasefire that is currently in place. They need to get back under way in Egypt, and ultimately people need to agree that the current status quo is simply untenable, and communities on both sides need to work towards having a better future for their children than they are currently experiencing. [text]
– Peter Bone: The Secretary of State is absolutely right that we need a political settlement, but is she concerned that, of all the money that is being given, some will be siphoned away for Hamas to build new tunnels—terror tunnels—back into Israel? What is the Secretary of State doing to ensure that British taxpayers’ money does not contribute to that? [text]
– JG: I can categorically assure my hon. Friend that no aid money goes to Hamas. We have safeguards in place to ensure compliance with both UK and EU legislation on terror funding. [text]
– Chi Onwurah: Given this House’s historic vote to recognise Palestine, the decision of the Swedish Government and similar debates in the French and Irish Parliaments, what work is the Secretary of State doing with Palestinian civil society and structures to prepare the state for wider recognition? [text]
– JG: We do broad capacity-building with the Palestinian Authority. As the hon. Lady points out, there is a political element to the way forward that is the base for seeing any real progress in the long term. First, though, our focus has been on providing humanitarian support to people affected by the recent crisis, and then more broadly starting to be part of the reconstruction efforts so that we can get people back into their homes and, critically, get children back into their schools. [text]
Commons Oral Answers
- Richard Burden: What representations is Foreign Secretary making to his Israeli counterpart on access to, and sovereignty over, the Al Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem?
Commons Written Answers
- Richard Burden: What recent discussions has Foreign Secretary had with the government of Sweden on recognition of the state of Palestine, and will he make a statement?
Commons Written Answers
MONDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2014
- Baroness Tonge: What conditions concerning human rights have HMG imposed on trade with Middle East states? http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141103w0001.htm#14110320000626
Lords Written Answers
- Lord Ahmed: What further steps are HMG taking to recognise Palestine as a state after the recent debate in the House of Commons?
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldhansrd/text/141103w0001.htm#14110320000632
Lords Written Answers
END