Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help promote dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

We urge the Israeli and Palestinian leadership to take urgent action to de-escalate the growing tensions in the West Bank. We welcome the communique agreed by Israel and the Palestinians at Aqaba on 26 February, and thank the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for hosting. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, has consistently offered UK support in progressing dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians, including in his meetings with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and Foreign Minister Riad Malki, during his visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 10-13 January, and during his regular engagement with the Israeli Ambassador, most recently on 16 February.