Oral Answers to Questions

Clive Betts Excerpts

Tuesday 30th January 2024 Commons Chamber

The Minister of State was asked—

[Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield South East) (Lab)]

1. What recent diplomatic steps he has taken to help secure a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza.

[Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)]

14. What diplomatic steps he is taking to help end the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Mr Andrew Mitchell)]

We are calling for an immediate humanitarian pause, in order to get aid in and hostages out as a vital step towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.

[Mr Betts]

That is all very well, but the problem is that Netanyahu and the Israeli Government are simply ignoring all the pleas for restraint—those pleas have become empty words. What will the Government do to put real pressure on the Israelis to stop the unacceptable killings, enter into negotiations for a permanent ceasefire and stop the threats to permanently annex and occupy Gaza? Has the time come to stop selling to Israel arms that are being used to raze Gaza to the ground?

[Mr Mitchell]

As I told the House yesterday, the Foreign Secretary is in the region today and will pursue the vital policies that the hon. Gentleman has set out. The hon. Gentleman will know that it is an absolute priority for Britain to ensure that more aid gets in, but the Israeli Government have the right of self-defence and, as the UK Government continually make clear, they must exercise that right within international humanitarian law.