Oral Evidence Apr. 24 2024
Committee: Business and Trade Committee (Department: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)Found: Lord Sumption, Lord Ricketts, UK Lawyers for Israel, and Richard Kemp CBE Oral Evidence
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on steps Israel is taking to ensure aid is able to reach citizens in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The British Government has pressed with Israeli counterparts the urgency of getting significantly more aid into Gaza to alleviate the desperate situation.
The Foreign Secretary visited Israel on 17 April and met with Israeli counterparts. During his visit he said to Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Affairs Minister Katz that we must maintain focus on getting more aid into Gaza and getting hostages out.
On 5th April Israel committed to significant steps to increase the amount of aid getting to Gaza, including allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid through the Port of Ashdod and the Erez checkpoint.
The UK has urged Israel to take these steps for a long time and they are welcome. We are resolved that the international community will work with Israel to see these vital changes fully implemented.
The British Government has also called on Israel to reform its deconfliction mechanism to ensure the safety of aid workers, and to make progress on the UN's minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza.
Palestinians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis. The UK is playing a leadership role in alleviating that suffering. We are doing everything we can to get more aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air.
Apr. 19 2024
Source Page: G7 foreign ministers' statement in Italy, April 2024Found: of the European Union, condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s direct and unprecedented attack against Israel
Apr. 19 2024
Source Page: We must start with fixing the immediate crisis in Gaza: UK statement at the UN Security CouncilFound: reiterates its commitment to making progress towards a two-state solution, in which a safe and secure Israel
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the safety of aid workers operating in (a) Israel and (b) Palestine.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Foreign Secretary has called on Israel to reform its deconfliction mechanism to ensure the safety of aid workers and to make progress on the UN's minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza.
The Prime Minister set out the need for more aid to enter Gaza in his call with Prime Minister Netanyahu on 2 April, and that far too many aid workers and ordinary civilians have lost their lives.
Apr. 17 2024
Source Page: Palestinians in Gaza are facing a devastating humanitarian crisis and an imminent risk of famine: UK statement at the UN Security CouncilFound: Palestinians in Gaza are facing a devastating humanitarian crisis and an imminent risk of famine: UK
Apr. 17 2024
Source Page: Foreign Secretary in Israel to press for de-escalation of Middle East tensionsFound: Foreign Secretary in Israel to press for de-escalation of Middle East tensions
Scrutiny evidence Apr. 17 2024
Committee: Royal Albert Hall Bill [HL] CommitteeFound: We have done so because the PA represents those who represent the interests of the Palestinians.
Mentions:
1: David Lammy (Lab - Tottenham) Let us be clear: 1.5 million Palestinians sheltering there have nowhere safe to go.There can be no humanitarian - Speech Link
2: Kit Malthouse (Con - North West Hampshire) many of us that the Israeli Government care little for what we say, to the extent that Medical Aid for Palestinians - Speech Link
3: John McDonnell (Lab - Hayes and Harlington) We now know that four Palestinians have been killed and others brutally attacked, and the evidence is - Speech Link
4: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Lab - Slough) Given the horrific scale of killing and the starvation of Palestinians, and especially children, we need - Speech Link
5: Naz Shah (Lab - Bradford West) May I say a thank you to my constituents who last weekend organised an Eid gathering for Palestinians - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD - Life peer) The manifesto commitment was specific to boycotts against Israel and was concerned particularly with - Speech Link
2: Lord Warner (XB - Life peer) With all due respect to the Government of Israel, from time to time they have shown quite an enthusiasm - Speech Link
3: Lord Hain (Lab - Life peer) There is credible evidence that Israel has engaged in such misconduct, particularly through the actions - Speech Link