Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the case launched against Israel at the UN's international court of justice by the Republic of South Africa.

We do not believe this case is a particularly helpful development or will contribute to a sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians. We recognise that Israel has the right to take necessary and proportionate action in self-defence against Hamas, in accordance with International Humanitarian Law.

But as I [Minister Mitchell] said on 8 December in Parliament, we respect the independence of the International Court of Justice.