Palestine and the United Nations

Andy Slaughter Excerpts
Thursday 15th September 2011

(12 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alistair Burt Portrait Alistair Burt
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There are many interpretations of what happened at the UN in 1948, but my hon. Friend is right to suggest that a resolution at the United Nations by itself does not secure the peace between peoples unless it is soundly based on proper recognition, respect and confidence between the two. That is what we earnestly wish to see from the negotiations, which we hope will restart shortly and which we are pressing for as part of our approach to this weekend.

Andy Slaughter Portrait Mr Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith) (Lab)
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The sense of urgency that the Minister talks about seems to be almost entirely absent from the Government’s position. On the contrary, in his response to the right hon. and learned Member for North East Fife (Sir Menzies Campbell) he talked about mutual recognition. Does that not give the game away? Is this not actually about giving the Israeli Government a veto over when a Palestinian state is recognised?

Alistair Burt Portrait Alistair Burt
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No. What I am actually about is what I said.