Middle East Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office
Tuesday 14th October 2025

(1 day, 17 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Caroline Nokes Portrait Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)
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I call the Father of the House.

Edward Leigh Portrait Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)
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Beneath all the peace rhetoric, the brutal Hamas regime were openly executing people yesterday, and refused to give up their weapons. Prime Minister Netanyahu has said that he is going to remove them by force if necessary, and he refuses to accept a state in the west bank. It may be naive, but cannot both sides of the House unite in saying that we are absolutely, completely committed to creating a Palestinian state in the west bank? That is their God-given right and it is the only way we are going to end the cycle of despair and violence.

Keir Starmer Portrait The Prime Minister
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That sounds like the old Tory party I used to know, and I am really pleased to hear it. In a sense, it is only by uniting across this House in the face of a conflict that has gone on for far too long, and by being clear-eyed about the only way there can be peace that is lasting, that we will be able to play a full part as a country in bringing that about. I welcome the old tone and the old content that I just heard.