Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their sanctions policy in relation to Israel, following that country’s attack on Qatar on 9 September.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
On 11 September, the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN, Dame Barbara Woodward, condemned Israel's strikes on Doha as a "flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar," warning of the risk of further escalation. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have both expressed grave concern over the incident, reaffirming UK solidarity with Qatar and calling for de-escalation. Since taking office, this Government has announced three packages of sanctions in relation to Israel/Palestine. In June we imposed sanctions on Israeli Cabinet Ministers Smotrich and Ben Gvir, in their personal capacity for inciting violence towards Palestinians, while the previous rounds targeted individuals, illegal settler outposts and organisations perpetrating and supporting violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
Asked by: Baroness Primarolo (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 25 July (HL9515), what further assessment they have made of reported deaths of Palestinians trying to access distribution points for humanitarian aid.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We were horrified by the repeated reports of civilians being killed or injured while seeking humanitarian aid near distribution points in Gaza, and we are consistently reminding our Israeli counterparts that international law requires the protection of healthcare workers, journalists and civilians. We continue to work with partners, including the UN, United States and Israel, to ensure that civilians across Gaza are protected and the safe delivery of humanitarian aid is facilitated, most recently in the Foreign Secretary's discussions at the UN General Assembly meetings in New York and in a call with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 3 October.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question HL2234 on Israel: Palestinians UIN, whether the International Committee of the Red Cross is given regular access to Marwan Barghouti.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to reiterate calls for Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities and continue to raise this with the Israeli government as a priority. The UK reaffirms our support for the ICRC as the only humanitarian actor with the experience, capability, independence and mandate to carry out their important responsibilities. We believe it is critical that the ICRC is given regular access to detainees to deliver on their independent visiting role, as enshrined within the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to secure the release of Palestinian children held in Israeli military detention centres.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 13th October to Question 76963.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with the Palestinian Authority to support a two-state solution.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the announcements made by the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on 21 September, further details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-formally-recognises-palestinian-state.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 August 2025 to Question 68668 on Israel: Palestinians, if she will have discussions with her Israeli counterparts on (a) releasing children held in administrative detention, (b) the transparancey of information on the number of Palestinian children detained and (c) allegations in relation to the abuse of those children in detention.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK regularly raises our concerns about Palestinian children in detention with the Israeli authorities. We are clear that children must always be protected, and their rights upheld in accordance with international law. We are horrified by reports of mistreatment or abuse of Palestinian children in detention and call on the Israeli authorities to investigate these urgently and to ensure any perpetrators are held to account. Children must only be detained in line with internationally agreed juvenile justice standards or other applicable international law, and we call for an end to the military detention of Palestinian children where this is incompatible with those principles. We continue to call on Israel to immediately facilitate urgent, unhindered access to all child detainees from the West Bank and Gaza to persons providing legal assistance, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and appropriate experts for the purposes of monitoring and reporting.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Independent - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he is having with international partners on protecting Palestinians living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and East Jerusalem.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the announcements made by the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on 21 September, further details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-formally-recognises-palestinian-state.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to secure a two state solution to the (a) humanitarian, (b) political and (c) security crisis in the Middle East since 22 July 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer my Hon Friend to the statement made to the House by the former Foreign Secretary on 1 September.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to participate in humanitarian aid airdrops to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic. In late July, the Prime Minister announced plans for the UK to work with Jordan to get aid into Gaza. Since then, UK aid has been dropped into Gaza by the Royal Jordanian Air Force. Whilst airdrops will help to alleviate some of the suffering, land routes serve as the only viable and sustainable means of providing aid into Gaza. Israel must urgently lift restrictions and facilitate a surge of aid into Gaza to prevent further hunger and malnutrition related deaths. It must ensure that the UN and its partners including non-governmental organisations are able to work safely and effectively.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK and Palestinian strategic cooperation: memorandum of understanding, published on 28 April 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the Palestinian Authority’s compliance with its commitment in February 2025 to end payments to Palestinians convicted of terror offences by Israel.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are clear that a reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) is essential to long-term stability in the region and making progress towards a two-state solution, which is why alongside our international partners, we welcomed the PA's commitment to deliver its ambitious and necessary 'National Program for Development and Reform'. In July the Foreign Secretary announced £7 million to strengthen the PA and Palestinian governance.
We welcomed President Abbas' letter to President Macron, dated 9 June, in which he reaffirmed the Palestine Liberation Organization principles of non-violence, and committed to the organisation of elections, the development of a curriculum that is free from incitement, and revoking the law on prisoner payments by implementing a new social security system. We will continue to work closely with the PA to support it in delivering the important commitments it has made on reform.