FRIDAY 5 JULY 2013
Gordon Henderson: What assessment has Foreign Secretary made of reports that the UN Development Programme has sponsored the annual Palestinian Prince of Martyrs Abu Jihad Football Tournament; and what representations has he made to the PA about UN Development Programme sponsorship of a recent football tournament in memory of terrorist Abu Jihad?
Commons Written Answers
THURSDAY 4 JULY 2013
1. Andrew Percy: What assessment has DfID Secretary made of the PA’s payment of salaries to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails?
Commons Written Answers
2. Baroness Tonge: Does DfID’s programme on environmental protection include investigating metal contamination of land from munitions dropped in Gaza and Fallujah?
Lords Written Answers
WEDNESDAY 3 JULY 2013
1. Mike Freer: What measures does DfID have in place to ensure that UK aid to the PA general budget is not used to sponsor events and activities endorsing terrorism?
Commons Written Answers
2. Baroness Tonge: Are there existing agreements in place that prohibit HMG from imposing sanctions on Israel?
3. Baroness Tonge: What discussions have HMG had with European partners about accountability within the Israeli military and its effect on the peace process in that country?
4. Baroness Tonge: What assessment have HMG made of the comments by Israel’s Deputy Defence Minister Danny Danon that he governing coalition in that country is opposed to a two-state solution?
5. Baroness Tonge: What discussions have HMG had with Israel concerning the alleged use of gas bombs by the Israeli military in Kufr Qaddoum on 6 June?
6. Lord Hylton: Will HMG consult UNWRA and UNHCR about the number of scholarships available for Palestinian refugees; and do they have plans to modify student visas so that available student places in the UK and the EU are fully used?
Nos 2-6 Lords Written Answers
TUESDAY 2 JULY 2013
Robert Halfon: What recent discussions has DfID Secretary had with her Norwegian counterpart on PA payments to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails; and what assessment has DfID made of the decision in Norway to establish a parliamentary committee inquiring into PA payments to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails?
MONDAY 1 JULY 2013
1. Ian Lucas: Pursuant to Oral Answer of 18 June 2013 on Israel: children in detention, will Foreign Secretary make a statement on his discussions with the Israeli Attorney-General?
2. Sir Bob Russell: Regarding Israel’s decision to set in motion the Prawer Plan for the removal of 40,000 Bedouin people from their ancestral homeland, will the Foreign Secretary (1) make immediate representations to Israel; (2) discuss with his EU counterparts making a co-ordinated approach to Israel; (3) request that the US Government should make immediate representations to Israel?
3. Ian Lucas: What recent discussions has Foreign Secretary had with EU member states on labelling of settlement produce?
4. Guto Bebb: What recent discussions has Foreign Secretary had with Israel about salaries paid to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons by the PA?
5. Guto Bebb: What recent discussions has Foreign Secretary had with the PA about salaries paid to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons?
1-5 Commons Written Answers
6. David Lidington attended FAC and GAC meetings in Luxembourg 24 & 25 June. FAC discussed best ways for EU to support John Kerry’s current efforts on the MEPP; conclusions were not agreed; FAC will revert to the issue in July.
Commons Written Statements
– Baroness Falkner: Nearly 100 years since the Balfour Declaration “the suffering of the Palestinian people still sits alongside the insecurity of the Jews.”
– Lord Williams of Baglan: We must hope that Mr Netanyahu will respond positively in the coming days to Senator Kerry’s efforts.
– Lord Turnberg: “There is little doubt that Israel is regarded as the number one enemy across most of the rest of the Middle East, and the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric in those countries is sometimes pretty horrific. However, the problems that those nations face now are clearly nothing at all to do with Israel or the Palestinians.”
– Lord Hylton: Israel “could indicate that it is satisfied to own some 78% of pre-war Palestine, without coveting complete control over the remainder.”
– Lord Hannay: Perhaps Israeli settlements could remain within a Palestinian state and Israeli Arab citizens could find a more secure place within an Israeli state.
– Lord Judd: Thwarting of Hamas’ ambitions has strengthened its militant elements, leading it into dangerous expansionist experiments.
(debate continued in next section:)
– Lord Desai: “I do not believe that the two-state solution has any future, but I am old enough, and I have been a member of the Labour Party for 40 years, to recall that a long time ago the party had a one-state solution: a single, secular, multifaith state in which Muslim Arabs, Jews and Christians could live together. That will not happen and we will never be at peace.”
– Baroness Morris of Bolton: Speaking as former trustee of UNICEF UK, chair of Conservative Middle East Council, MAP president and PM’s trade envoy to Jordan and OPTs, says we must not diminish our efforts “to find a solution to the occupation and the oppression of the Palestinian people”.
– Lord Anderson: “The long-suffering Palestinians in the camps in Syria will find the door closed in Jordan because of the fear of destabilising further the kingdom.”
– Lord Luce: “Palestine-Israel simmers and stagnates. There is no will or leadership on either side to find a solution. It is becoming more and more potentially explosive.”
– Lord Dubbs: “Israel is our friend—we support it. However, we watch as Palestinians are beaten and kicked from their homes to enable Israeli settlers illegally to occupy further stretches of Palestinian territory.”
– Lord Triesman: Apologises for not focusing on Israel and Palestine.
– Baroness Warsi: We continue to support Secretary Kerry’s efforts on Israel and Palestine.
House of Lords Debates
8. Baroness Tonge: What assessment have HMG made of the potential of the EU, as Israel’s main trading partner, to press for serious peace negotiations there?
9. Baroness Tonge: What recent discussions have HMG had with Israel concerning WB and Israeli markets re-opening to Gazan produce?
10. Baroness Tonge: What assessment have HMG made of the Quartet’s continuing role in the MEPP?
11. Baroness Tonge: What framework of accountability has been built into Tony Blair’s role as Quartet Representative?
12. Baroness Tonge: What assessment have HMG made of the impact on economic growth in the WB and Gaza of Palestinian independence and freedom to trade?
13. Baroness Tonge: What discussions have HMG held recently with EU ministers with regard to protecting the lives and livelihoods of Gazan fishermen?
14. Lord Hylton: What representations have HMG made to Israel about the destruction of houses in al-Nuweima in Zone A near Jericho?
15. Lord Hylton: What representations have HMG made to Israel about civilian access and trade between the Abu Dis Township and Jerusalem?
16. Baroness Tonge: What assessment have HMG made of the dependence of (1) the UK, and (2) other European countries, on Israeli weapons technology?
Nos 8-16 Lord Written Answers