Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received any representations on the recent protests in Beita.

According to UN OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), since the beginning of May, seven Palestinians, including two children, have been killed around Beita as a result of live fire from Israeli Security Forces. On 5 August the British Consul General and Heads of Mission and representatives from a number of likeminded countries visited Beita.

In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we urge the Government of Israel to conduct swift and transparent investigations. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, in particular the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.