Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the increase in settler violence against Palestinians and their property reported by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs since the outbreak of covid-19 in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
We are concerned by reports that settler violence is continuing at this time. We called on both parties to avoid any provocative action which might undermine the cooperation that is so critical in response to COVID-19, including settler violence, at the UN Security Council remote meeting on the Middle East Peace Process on 23 April. We condemn any incidents of violence by settlers against Palestinians.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2020 to Question 13562 on Politics and Government, whether he has made an assessment of the adherence of the US Administration's framework for a Palestinian state to the statehood criteria of (a) ability to exercise effective control of territory and (b) independence in their external relations.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The United Kingdom supports Palestinians in realising self-determination through a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. We hope that the US initiative may lead to a first step on the road back to negotiations. It is through such negotiations that the parties will determine the specifics of how the aim of two states is to be achieved.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the Israeli Government (a) implements and (b) adheres to UN Security Council Resolution 2334.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
We have long supported balanced UN resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolution 2334 that addressed incitement and settlements. We do not hesitate to raise instances of incitement. We have a regular dialogue with the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority in which we reiterate the need for both sides to prepare their populations for peaceful coexistence, including by promoting a more positive portrayal of each other. As I made clear in my statement on 24 February, the UK's position on Israeli settlements is clear: they are illegal under international law and damaging to renewed efforts to launch peace negotiations. I last raised settlements with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 26 February. We urge Israel to halt its settlement expansion immediately.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) criteria and (b) guidance his Department uses to define the (i) characteristics, (ii) security and (iii) borders of a sovereign state.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The criteria for statehood were set out in a written answer to a PQ on 16 November 1989 by Sir Tim Sainsbury, then a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister, who provided that "we consider a State should have, and seem likely to continue to have, a clearly defined territory with a population, a Government who are able of themselves to exercise effective control of that territory, and independence in their external relations". This is based on the criteria for statehood set out in the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States 1933, namely: (a) a permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with other states.
Recognition is a unilateral, political act and there is no legal obligation to recognise another entity as a state. Recognition is something that Her Majesty's Government can choose to grant at a time of her choosing, if at all.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the (a) number and (b) frequency of (i) demolitions of Palestinian homes and structures and (ii) forced displacement of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
As we made clear in our statement at the UN Security Council on 21 January, we are deeply concerned by the increase in demolitions of Palestinian property by the Israeli authorities. Demolitions and evictions of Palestinians from their homes cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; call into question Israel's commitment to a viable two-state solution; and, in all but the most exceptional of cases, are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have repeatedly made clear to the Israeli authorities our serious concern at the increase in demolitions of Palestinian properties in Area C of the West Bank and in East Jerusalem, most recently on 17 December 2019. We will continue to call for Israel to abandon demolition plans entirely, and instead provide a clear, transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C.