Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the military order issued by the Israeli Defense Ministry on 19 October 2021 declaring six Palestinian civil society organizations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to be terrorist organisations, if she will reiterate the Government's support for (a) Palestinian human rights defenders and (b) humanitarian and development organisations operating in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories; if she will provide support to those six civil society organisations; and if she will make a statement.

The UK is aware of the decision by the Israeli authorities to designate six Palestinian Civil Society Organisations. We are in contact with the Government of Israel to understand the basis of the designations. We have made clear that human rights and civil society organisations have a vital role to play in both Israel and the OPTs, including those critical of Israel's conduct of the Palestinian Territories.