Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the 'Statement on the Current Threats to the Christian Presence in the Holy Land by the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem', published on 13 December 2021; in particular, the recommendation that a special Christian cultural heritage zone be created in the Christian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem.

The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. We are aware of this statement and are reviewing its recommendations. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv and Consulate General in Jerusalem regularly raise issues of FoRB with the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority. The UK recognises that Jerusalem holds particular significance for many groups, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism.