Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Israel about the displacement of trees in Palestine under the Olive Tree Project; and if he will make a statement.

Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv express our serious concerns to the Israeli government about the destruction of olive trees, whether by the Israeli authorities or by extremist settlers, on a regular basis. They raised the issue of settler violence and destruction of olive trees most recently with an Israeli Police Spokesperson on 13 May.

We are well aware of the difficulties facing Palestinian olive growers and of the particular sensitivities around olive trees given their status as a national symbol and the sole source of income for many Palestinian farmers. The Israeli authorities are responsible for enforcing the rule of law and providing the appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.