Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take following reports that Israel intends to expand its settlements in East Jerusalem in contravention of international law.

​We are gravely concerned by the acceleration of illegal settlement expansion this year, including in East Jerusalem. When the Prime Minister met Prime Minister Netanyahu on 2 November 2017, she reiterated the UK’s firm commitment to a two-state solution as the best way to bring about stability and peace to the region, and our continued opposition to settlement activity. The Minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, issued a statement on 7 July 2017 strongly condemning the Israeli authorities’ decisions on 4 and 6 July to advance plans for 1,600 new settlement units in the illegal settlements of Pisgat Ze’ev, Ramat Shlomo, and Ramot in East Jerusalem.