THURSDAY 8 MAY 2014
1. Andrew Smith: What estimate has DfID Secretary made of the additional costs resulting from Israeli border, access and planning controls to UK-funded development projects in the OPTs?
2. Andrew Smith: What discussions has DfID Secretary had with the EC and her EU counterparts on compensation requests to Israeli authorities for EU-funded aid projects demolished by Israel?
3. Paul Flynn: What active steps has FCO taken and plans to take to facilitate convening of a conference on the establishment of a ME zone free of nuclear weapons?
Nos 1-3 Commons Written Answers
4Lords EU Sub-Committee C (External Affairs): EU-Iran: update on the interim agreement
Witness: Sir Richard Dalton
Extract 1 @ approx. 10:50 in:
“Sir Richard Dalton [in response to Lord Trimble saying that in Israel he met a very senior person who opined that for Iran, Israel was not the primary target]: Very briefly, on Iran’s sense of its strategic situation, ever since the revolution in particular, also after the revolution some Western support for Iraq in the war against Iran, it has perceived itself to be under military threat; and the constant reiteration of military threats in connection with its nuclear programme year after year, decade after decade, has merely reinforced that. They also have a revolutionary objective of countering what it sees as Israeli expansionism in the region, and supporting resistance is the best way of securing the rights of Palestinians. They are in a minority in thinking that resistance is the right way of doing that, but given the failure of successive rounds of negotiations one can at least see why they would regard resistance under their own logic as something that should be considered.”
Extract 2 @ approx. 10:59 in:
“Sir Richard Dalton [on Baroness Young’s reference to the idea of allowing Iran some element of face-saving if the nuclear deal goes through]: I would like to see Iran reverting explicitly to the position implicit in the time of President Khatami from 1997-2005, under which – on Israel – Iran’s policy was that they would not oppose an agreement freely entered into between the Palestinian people and Israel. In other words, if it were a 2-s-s, which hitherto Iran has not agreed is the right outcome, then that is something that Iran would live with. And a policy of that kind declared now could have a significant effect. I think there are two reasons why Iran doesn’t make such gestures. The first is that they would be regarded as going too far by hardliners in their own society, in the absence of requital from Israel in terms of less hostility to Iran; and secondly they fear that it would actually have no effect. An example recently which would not encourage them to make verbal gestures is the dismissal in Israel of Mahmoud Abbas’ comments about the Holocaust as a crime. Water off a duck’s back.”
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=15411
5. Commons International Development Committee: UK’s Development Work in the OPTs
WEDNESDAY 7 MAY 2014
1. Foreign Secretary to attend 12 May FAC in Brussels where Ministers will discuss latest developments in MEPP.
Commons Written Statements
TUESDAY 6 MAY 2014
1. David Anderson: What recent steps has Foreign Secretary taken to raise with G4S allegations of corporate complicity in human rights abuses and international law violations by G4S in Israeli prisons?
2. Andrew Smith: Has Foreign Secretary made representations to Israel on extending to UK citizens of Palestinian origin visiting Israel similar concessions to those Israel has offered to the US Administration in exchange for Israel’s entry to the US visa waiver scheme?
3. Andrew Smith: What discussions has FCO had with Israel on discrimination against UK citizens of Palestinian or Arab origin by Israeli border control?
4. Richard Burden: What steps does Foreign Secretary plan to take in response to the withdrawal of the Israeli government from US-sponsored peace negotiations with the PA?
5. Richard Burden: What representations has Foreign Secretary made to Israel on the demolition on 2 and 3 April of EU-funded projects in Area C near the E1-settlement bloc, and has he demanded compensation?
6. Richard Burden: What support does FCO give alongside UK NGOs operating in OPTs to assist in obtaining compensation from Israel for projects demolished in Area C?
Nos 1-6 COMMONS WRITTEN ANSWERS
7. Baroness Tonge: What assessment have HMG made of the influence of Islamic Jihad in Gaza and its impact on the region, and what action do they plan to take to reverse that influence?
8. Baroness Tonge: What discussions have HMG had with European partners on whether Israeli security personnel convicted of violating human rights law in the WB should be refused free visas in line with the policy of the US State Department?
9. Baroness Tonge: What discussions have HMG had with Israel concerning the reported armed ambush and killing of Yusef a-Shawamreh?
10. Baroness Tonge: What discussions have HMG had with Israel concerning recent reports of violence and racist graffiti by settlers in Kifl Haris, during a religious ceremony?
11. Lord Turnberg: What discussions are HMG having with Mahmoud Abbas on continuing the negotiations with Israel for a two-state solution?
12. Baroness Tonge: What representations have HMG made to Israel concerning Palestinian deaths since the beginning of the peace negotiations?
13. Baroness Tonge: What action do HMG plan to take to protect the property rights and security of Palestinians if peace negotiations between Israel and the PA are extended? [Baroness Warsi‘s answer refers back to this ]
14. Baroness Tonge: What assessment have HMG made of the potential of extended peace talks to effect change in Israel’s control of East Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley?
15. Baroness Tonge: What action will HMG take to preserve Palestinians’ rights to worship at their own holy sites within Jerusalem?
16. Lord Hylton: What assessment have HMG made of recent deaths in Yarmouk, and in particular of Amnesty International’s attribution of the deaths to starvation and lack of medical care?
Nos 7-16 LORDS WRITTEN ANSWERS