Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he or officials of his Department have had with Dr Salim Munayer and Musalah on prospects for reconciliation between Israel and Palestine; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not had discussions specifically with Dr Salim Munayer and Musaleh on prospects for reconciliation between Israel and Palestine. However we fund several projects through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund which aim to foster reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis. For example, we support the Peres Centre project to train Palestinian doctors in Israeli hospitals. This not only provides advanced training but also creates people to people relations.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what UN initiatives the UK is supporting that aim to promote reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians and establishment of a Palestinian nation state that is recognised both internationally and by Israel.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The UK continues to support a negotiated two state solution as the only way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As part of this, along with other members of the UN Security Council, we welcome efforts by the Quartet to drive forward improvements on the ground. We support the Security Council’s efforts to build an environment conducive to peace and achieve our common goal of a two-state solution. In response to the recent violence across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the UK supports and reiterates the Council’s calls on both parties to avoid escalating the situation. We will judge proposals for further UN initiatives on the basis of whether we assess they support progress on the Middle East Peace Process.
Asked by: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will commission research into possible links between ISIL and the smuggling of contraband tobacco.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We have spent considerable time analysing funding flows to ISIL (the self-styled Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). Based on the information available, we believe that a substantial share of ISIL’s revenue is derived from the sale of oil and commodities, taxation and extortion. Revenue generated from the smuggling of tobacco is likely to account for some of this, although the amount is believed to be relatively small as a share of ISIL’s total revenue. We are working with our partners in the international community to deny ISIL access to funds and led negotiations for the adoption of UNSCR 2170 (15 August 2014), which calls on all states to ensure that no funds, financial assets or economic resources are made available, directly or indirectly, to ISIL or to terrorists more generally.