Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa on 24 February about Israel’s intention to construct 1,077 housing units in Givat Hamatos, in southern Jerusalem, what steps they intend to take to protect the viability of the two-State solution from such activity.

The UK condemns Israel's announcement to move forward with the construction of 1,077 housing units in Givat Hamatos. Settlement construction in these highly sensitive areas undermines the viability of a future Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem.

It is the UK's longstanding position that settlements are illegal under international law and threaten the physical viability of the two-state solution. We urge Israel to reverse this latest decision and halt its settlement expansion. The UK is committed to making progress towards a two-state solution and supports any serious proposal to bring about that outcome.