Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the findings of the EU report into the Palestinian Authority school curriculum, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK aid to the Palestinian people does not finance material inciting violence or antisemitism.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
It is essential to have a strong and thriving Palestinian education system to provide opportunities for the next generation. This report on Palestinian textbooks highlights progress in key areas, but also indicates that anti-Israel content remains. We have been clear that incitement to hatred or violence is unacceptable from all parties and should have no place in education. We will continue to raise concerns about this with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and continue to urge all parties to condemn incitement wherever and whenever it occurs. The UK does not fund textbooks in the OPTs. Our education funding to the PA contributes to the salaries of carefully vetted teachers/education workers.
Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made for the implications of his policies of the EU report into the Palestinian Authority school curriculum; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
It is essential to have a strong and thriving Palestinian education system to provide opportunities for the next generation. This report on Palestinian textbooks highlights progress in key areas, but also indicates that anti-Israel content remains. We have been clear that incitement to hatred or violence is unacceptable from all parties and should have no place in education. We will continue to raise concerns about this with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and continue to urge all parties to condemn incitement wherever and whenever it occurs. The UK does not fund textbooks in the OPTs. Our education funding to the PA contributes to the salaries of carefully vetted teachers/education workers.
Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department is providing to help expand Israel’s relations with the Arab world.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The UK welcomed the historic Israel-United Arab Emirates normalisation deal, and supports all efforts towards peace. The UK is committed to making progress towards a two-state solution and is strongly supportive of a regional approach to peace. We believe that negotiations will only succeed when they are conducted between Israelis and Palestinians, but international action has a role in facilitating progress. The changing regional context and converging Arab and Israeli interests presents an opening to develop Arab-Israeli relations and create the conditions for serious Israeli-Palestinian talks to resume. The Arab League and Arab states have a key role in the peace process and we are in close contact on this issue.
Asked by: Mark Jenkinson (Conservative - Workington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli and Emirati counterparts on the normalisation of relations between those nations.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
We welcome the announcement of an agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is an historic step which sees the normalisation of relations between two great friends of the UK. The Foreign Secretary travelled to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 25 August, where he met with the Israeli leadership, including Prime Minister Netanyahu. We welcome both the decision to normalise relations, as well as the suspension of plans for annexation - a move the UK has opposed as it would have been counterproductive to securing peace in the region. On his return, the Foreign Secretary spoke to UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, to offer congratulations on the agreement with Israel. Sheikh bin Zayed emphasised his conviction that the deal was an opportunity to renew efforts toward peace in the Middle East. We will continue to work together in support of this goal.