Recognition of Palestine
(Liverpool Wavertree)
(Lab)
1. If he will set out a timeline for the potential recognition of
a Palestinian state. (900135)
Mr (Blackburn) (Ind)
3. If he will support the immediate recognition of the state of
Palestine. (900137)
The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Affairs (Mr )
We want a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state
solution: a safe, secure Israel alongside a
viable, sovereign Palestinian state. We are committed to
recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to a peace
process, at a time that is most conducive to that process.
May I associate myself with your remarks, Mr Speaker, about John
the Doorkeeper? Who knew that we had the same love of '70s
disco?
I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply. I must press him
further on Government recognition of a Palestinian state. That
should have been a starting point 30 years ago. I believe that
recognition would level the playing field and kick-start the
peace process, as has been recognised by so many of our European
counterparts. Recognition should not come at the conclusion. What
will the Government do if Israel refuses to
entertain any moves towards a two-state solution, which it has
persistently and vocally rejected?
Mr Lammy
I know that my hon. Friend has pressed these issues, which are of
huge importance to her constituents, for many years. No one has a
veto on recognition. As I said, we want it to be part of a
process; it does not deliver a two-state solution in and of
itself. But it is absolutely right that the Palestinians are
enabled to have a sovereign state. It is a just cause, and we
will work with other partners to bring that about.
Mr Speaker
Order. Can I just say to everybody that Members are meant to
speak through the Chair? Please look towards me or the mics might
not pick you up.
Mr Hussain
I hear what the Secretary of State said, but does he agree that
the immediate recognition of the state of Palestine is vital to
the UK's commitment to uphold international law and norms, vital
to the processes required to bring about an immediate and just
peace, and vital to the notion that diplomatic means and not
violence are the way to resolve the conflict? Does he agree that
failure to recognise the state of Palestine has had and continues
to have catastrophic implications for the people of Palestine, as
they face what the International Criminal Court has described as
plausible genocide?
Mr Lammy
The hon. Gentleman is right that peace will be achieved through a
political solution, not through military means. But I disagree
that recognition itself will bring about peace. The Biden plan is
on the table at the moment, and we would like Hamas and the
Israeli leadership to accept it. That is what will give us a
ceasefire and get us to a place where we can achieve that
two-state solution.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Foreign Secretary.
Mr (Sutton Coldfield)
(Con)
May I welcome the Foreign Secretary to his new position, since
this is the first time that we have met across the Dispatch Box
since we swapped sides? I welcome all his team, especially the
hon. Member for Lincoln (), who was previously a
respected and effective official in both the Ministries in which
I served as a Cabinet Minister.
I urge the Foreign Secretary to avoid any suggestion of some sort
of international legal-moral equivalence between a terrorist
murderer and the elected head of a democratic state. In any
question of an arms embargo, I remind him that just a few weeks
ago, British arms and military personnel were defending our
ally Israel from missiles
launched by Iran.
Mr Lammy
Let me begin by welcoming the right hon. Gentleman to his
position. It is great to see him where he is, and not on the
Government Benches. He will know that these are very serious
issues, and that the test under criterion 2c is whether there is
a “clear risk”. That is based on very careful assessments of the
law. He would expect me to pursue that with all sobriety and
integrity, and that is what I intend to do.
Mr Speaker
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
(Oxford West and Abingdon)
(LD)
The Secretary of State will get bored of me continuing to press
him on the recognition of the state of Palestine. I hope not to
test his patience, but I know in my heart that it is what
Palestinians need to ignite hope. Two states cannot happen
without that hope to unite Palestinians behind a final cause that
will stop the killing for good. War has to stop, but that is not
peace. Peace is two states. He knows that Netanyahu rejects it,
so when he spoke to Netanyahu, did he talk about the two-state
solution, and in particular the recognition of Palestine? Does he
accept that if the UK followed the other 140 countries that have
done this, that would send a powerful message to both the
Palestinian people and Netanyahu?
Mr Lammy
Let me reassure the hon. Lady that raising this issue does not
test my patience. She is absolutely right. I reject and disagree
with those in Israel who say that
there can be no two-state solution. If there is no two-state
solution, there is either one state or no state at all. I
recognise why this is a pressing issue and why she raises it, but
as I have said, we will do it at the appropriate moment,
hopefully working with other partners as a road to the two states
that we desire.
Gaza: Permanent Ceasefire
(Oldham East and
Saddleworth) (Lab)
2. What steps he is taking to help secure a permanent ceasefire
in Gaza. (900136)
The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Affairs (Mr )
In my second week in the role I travelled to Israel and to the west
bank and called for an immediate ceasefire—something that none of
my predecessors had done. In my meetings with both leaders I
called for an immediate ceasefire and made the urgent case, as
has been described, for a credible and irreversible pathway
towards a two-state solution.
I welcome my right hon. Friend and all the team to their place. I
thank him for calling for a ceasefire when he
visited Israel that has had a
profound impact in my constituency. Does he agree that a
permanent ceasefire in Gaza is essential for the future of the
people in Gaza, and would help to cool tensions in the middle
east, in particular given the attack on the Golan Heights and the
escalating tensions between Hezbollah and Israel and even the
Houthis?
Mr Lammy
My hon. Friend is right. The death and destruction in Gaza in
intolerable. The war needs to end now. It is also the case that,
given the escalation of tensions in the region, if the Biden plan
is adopted by both sides, we would see that escalation come down.
For life in Gaza and across the region, it is important that that
plan is adopted now.
Gaza: Humanitarian Situation
(Glasgow South) (Lab)
4. What steps he is taking to help improve the humanitarian
situation in Gaza. (900138)
(Leeds East) (Ind)
5. What steps he is taking to help improve the humanitarian
situation in Gaza. (900139)
(Ealing Southall)
(Lab)
6. What steps he is taking to help improve the humanitarian
situation in Gaza. (900140)
(Aylesbury) (Lab)
10. What steps he is taking to help improve the humanitarian
situation in Gaza. (900146)
(Southgate and Wood
Green) (Lab)
15. What steps he is taking to help improve the humanitarian
situation in Gaza. (900151)
(Brentford and Isleworth)
(Lab)
22. What steps he is taking to help improve the humanitarian
situation in Gaza. (900159)
The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Office ()
The people of Gaza face a humanitarian catastrophe. Humanitarian
aid is a moral necessity. Almost 90% of the population in Gaza
have been displaced and the Integrated Food Security Phase
Classification's recent assessment found a risk of famine across
the whole of Gaza.
I thank the Minister for her answer. Last week, I met the
Palestinian ambassador to discuss the heartbreaking crisis in
Gaza. Since April, the volume of aid cargo entering the Gaza
strip has decreased by around 50%, at the same time as hospitals
remain damaged or, in many cases, destroyed. That is why I
welcome the Foreign Secretary's commitment to resume United
Nations Relief and Works Agency funding and his demands for a
ceasefire in the region. Having resumed that funding, what steps
are the Government taking to allow that vital aid into Gaza and
help those so desperately in need?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this issue. We are
deeply concerned at a number of the developments he mentions. The
UK is providing, and will continue to provide, significant
humanitarian support to Gaza. However, we are also clear
that Israel must meet its
commitment to “flood Gaza with aid”—that is vital.
I very much welcome the Foreign Secretary's decisions on the
International Criminal Court and on UNRWA funding. This morning I
met Oxfam, which told me and other Members that, when Parliament
is in recess this summer, up to 7,000 people in Gaza will be
killed or injured—up to a third of them children. Given that,
will the Minister outline what urgent steps the Government will
take this summer to end this horror, including ending UK arms
sales to Israel
Too many people have died in Gaza and too little aid is getting
in. We are clear that Israel must take
concrete steps to protect civilians and aid workers, in
accordance with international humanitarian law. This includes
deconfliction between military and humanitarian operations, and
supporting the minimum operating requirements of the UN agencies,
as well, of course, as the other matters my right hon. Friend the
Foreign Secretary laid out, including the need for an immediate
humanitarian ceasefire.
Last week, I met some of my constituents in Ealing Southall who
live in the Hanwell Broadway area. They told me about Hanwell
Friends of Sabastiya, a friendship and support network between
our corner of west London and a village in the north of the west
bank. My constituents have heard at first hand how Palestinians
are suffering across the territory. What difference will the
decision to restart UNRWA funding make to the lives of ordinary
Palestinians, and what discussions has the Minister had with
UNRWA's commissioner-general to maximise its impact for the
Palestinian people?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this matter, because
we are clear that UNRWA is the only humanitarian organisation
that is able to operate at the scale required in Gaza. The
Foreign Secretary, as hon. Members will be aware, confirmed to
the House on 19 July that the UK would resume funding to UNRWA.
On the same day, I met UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe
Lazzarini to understand more from him about the situation on the
ground and the reforms that UNRWA is undertaking. We also talked
about this Government's release of £21 million in new funds to
UNRWA to support its lifesaving work in Gaza and the provision of
basic services in the region.
My constituents are appalled by the death and destruction in
Gaza. They know, as we do, that only an immediate, permanent
ceasefire in exchange for the return of the hostages will put an
end to this unacceptable and unbearable suffering. In the
meantime, despite the Israeli Government's promise to flood Gaza
with aid, which the Minister mentioned, the reality is that they
are putting in place repeated and deadly obstructions. What
conversations have the Government had with Israel to ensure that
the Israelis end this denial of lifesaving assistance?
I know that my hon. Friend has a personal interest in this issue,
and, indeed, experience of it following the humanitarian work in
which she was involved before coming to this place. When the
Foreign Secretary was in Israel he pressed Prime
Minister Netanyahu to open all border crossings, including Rafah,
to facilitate a significant increase in aid and to allow its
safe, effective distribution within Gaza, and we will continue to
press for that as a matter of urgency.
Despite the designation of Al-Mawasi as a humanitarian safe zone,
there have been multiple Israeli air strikes which have killed
dozens of civilians and wounded many more, and have resulted in
the bombing of a compound belonging to the charities Medical Aid
for Palestinians and the International Rescue Committee. What
discussions has the Minister had with her Israeli counterpart
about stopping any further attacks on Al-Mawasi, where displaced
Gazans were ordered to go by the Israel Defence
Forces for their own safety?
I know that this issue is of personal concern to my hon. Friend
and that he has visited the region many times, for instance when
he was the shadow Minister for the middle east. He has asked
specifically about the question of civilians in the conflict. We
are aware that about 90% of the population in Gaza have now been
displaced, some of them more than once. We need civilians to be
protected, we need aid workers to be treated in accordance with
international humanitarian law, and we need to ensure that there
is deconfliction. As I said earlier, those are matters on which
we, as the new Government, have been pressing.
The World Health Organisation has warned that the lack of
sanitation and clean water caused by the humanitarian crisis in
Gaza poses a real risk of polio spreading undetected among its
people. Will the UK Government consider supporting a mass
vaccination programme in Gaza?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this matter, which
the Foreign Secretary and I discussed directly with Dr
Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organisation,
yesterday. My hon. Friend is right about the severe concern about
polio and the need for a vaccination scheme, and the World Health
Organisation is working on such a scheme. When populations are
not receiving the food and nutrition that they require, or clean
water, the potential for infectious disease obviously increases,
but the UK has provided significant food and nutrition support,
as well as shelter and other essential materials. We will
continue to do that, and, indeed, to work with the World Health
Organisation on these important matters.
(North West Hampshire) (Con)
While the eyes of the world are rightly on the shocking,
dystopian situation in Gaza, we should not forget the
humanitarian situation in the west bank, where a largely
defenceless population are being ever more persecuted and exposed
to violence and are seeing their homes and land stolen. May we
please have a comprehensive set of sanctions against violent
settlers, the organisations that support them in their activities
and those who are complicit, at a state level, in what they are
doing?
I am grateful to the right hon. Member for raising this issue.
The health and wellbeing of those in the west bank was another of
the issues that I discussed with Commissioner-General Lazzarini
of UNRWA, because we are concerned about it. As would be
expected, we are keeping all sanctions regimes under review,
including this one, and we remain concerned about not only the
position of the population but the longer-term issues surrounding
a two-state solution, which were mentioned earlier.
Dr (Surrey Heath) (LD)
The Government have announced a strategic defence review, but the
challenges faced by the UK in the mid-21st century are
military-related, development-related and diplomacy-related. May
I have an assurance that the Foreign Office will have a distinct
role to play in the strategic defence review—especially in the
light of the conversation that we have just had, which has shown
the complexities of the UK's global posture in the 21st
century?
I am grateful to the hon. Member for his point. Of course, all
these issues are strongly related. We are absolutely determined
to work with colleagues in Defence, as well as across the whole
Government, so that we ensure that we are putting our country's
interests first and, above all, protecting our security—the first
responsibility of any Government.
Greg (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)
In recent months, Hamas have targeted Israel's Kerem Shalom goods
crossing with rockets and mortars to prolong the misery of their
own people. They are also estimated to have spent $150 million on
constructing their terror networks by misappropriating aid. Does
the Minister accept that Hamas will always prioritise conflict
with Israel over the
wellbeing of their own citizens in Gaza, and that more steps need
to be taken to stop the misappropriation of aid by Hamas?
I am grateful to the hon. Member for his question. Of course, aid
materials must always be provided directly to those in need,
particularly in a situation of humanitarian catastrophe, which is
currently the case in Gaza. It is incredibly important that food
and nutrition, clean water, other forms of sanitation, medicines
and shelter are provided directly to those in need; it is
absolutely fundamental that they must not be misappropriated. Of
course, these are issues that we have discussed with UNRWA and
other aid agencies that are involved in the region.
(Argyll, Bute and South
Lochaber) (SNP)
Key to ending the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is stopping the
sale of weapons to those who have shown that they are prepared to
use them indiscriminately against civilians. It has been
suggested that the Government will continue to sell defensive
weapons, but given that Israel defines its
entire campaign as “defensive”, how do they propose to tell us at
the end of the review on international humanitarian law how many
of the 40,000 civilians killed were killed with defensive
weapons, as opposed to offensive weapons? On what legal basis
would such a determination be made?
The hon. Member will be well aware that this is a legal process
and has to be complied with. This Government are absolutely clear
that we must act with integrity and ensure that we are following
all the legal procedures, as the Foreign Secretary set out last
week in the House and has set out this morning.
(Honiton and Sidmouth)
(LD)
As shadow Foreign Secretary, the Secretary of State urged to publish the FCDO's formal
legal advice on whether Israel is breaching
international humanitarian law in Gaza. Do the new ministerial
team still think there is a compelling case for publishing the
Government's legal advice, and will the Government be publishing
it?
I am grateful to the hon. Member for his question. The Foreign
Secretary has been crystal clear that he will be as transparent
as he possibly can. He will ensure that Parliament is fully
updated on these matters.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Minister for that response. If we want to improve the
humanitarian situation in Gaza, it is quite clear what the free
world has to do: get rid of Hamas, who are murderers and
terrorists. They hide in schools and hospitals, and they hide
among civilians. They are the people who are bringing death to
Palestine. If we want to give Palestinians the humanitarian aid
that we should give them, we have to get rid of Hamas.
Of course, this Government recognise that Hamas have used
civilians as human shields. We are deeply concerned about the
humanitarian situation, and I set out our response to that a few
moments ago. We need to ensure that civilians are protected, and
we will continue to press for that as a matter of absolute
urgency.
Iran: Alleged Human Rights Violations
(Harrogate and Knaresborough)
(LD)
9. What discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on
alleged human rights violations in that country. (900143)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Affairs ()
Iran's continued repression of women and girls, ethnic and
religious minorities, and human rights defenders is unacceptable.
We will continue to work with international partners to hold the
regime to account, including at the UN Third Committee later this
year.
The Iranian authorities have been systematically targeting BBC
Persian staff and their families in an attempt to intimidate them
into stopping their work as journalists. Freedom of the press is
a fundamental right for people all over the world, so will the
Foreign Secretary and his colleagues commit to working across
Government with the Culture Secretary to revisit the previous
cuts to BBC Persian, and look to increase funding for the vital
work that the service does?
That is a very important question. Iran clearly remains an
extremely hostile environment for journalists, who face
harassment, arbitrary detention and long prison sentences. We
will raise this issue with the new Iranian Government when they
are formed—as the hon. Member will know, they are having their
inauguration today, so there are no Ministers yet for me or the
rest of the Foreign Office team to talk to. The Foreign Office
currently provides a quarter of the BBC World Service budget, and
we will no doubt look at that as part of the wider budget
review.
(Chipping Barnet) (Lab)
I welcome the Minister to his place. As we were tragically
reminded again this weekend, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps is a destructive, malign and terrorist force that is
operating through proxies in the middle east, including Hamas and
Hezbollah. Will the Minister please update the House on the
ongoing work to proscribe the IRGC, which the Conservatives sadly
failed to do when they were in government? Will he please also
reassure the House that the UK continues to stand shoulder to
shoulder with Israel against the
IRGC's continued aggression?
The Government recognise the threat that the IRGC poses, and we
will take the necessary measures to counter it at home and
abroad. We will keep the list of proscribed terrorist
organisations under careful review, but it would not be
appropriate to comment on whether an organisation is under
consideration at this time. Iran continues to destabilise the
middle east through its support for its proxies and partners, and
we will work with international partners to challenge that
destabilising activity.
Israel: Compliance with International Law
(Edinburgh North and Leith)
(Lab)
12. What his planned timescale is for completing his review
of Israel s compliance
with international humanitarian law. (900148)
The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Affairs (Mr )
As soon as I came into office, I commissioned new advice on
Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law in the
context of war in Gaza. We are obliged to look at that advice
under criterion 2C for items exported. That is an ongoing
process. I pledge to update the House as soon as I can on this
very serious matter.
I welcome the Government's changing approach to the devastating
conflict in Gaza and the fact that the review was ordered soon
after the Foreign Secretary's appointment. Will the Foreign
Secretary confirm that, if the review were to conclude
that Israel was breaching
international law, all actions including halting arms sales would
be considered as part of the Government's proportional
response?
Mr Lammy
Criterion 2C of our strategic export licensing criteria is a
clear risk of breach of international humanitarian law. Careful
assessments have to be made. There is a then a legal process to
enable us to reach a conclusion. Of course, with all sobriety and
integrity, I intend to do that and I will update the House as
soon as I can.
International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion
(Manchester Rusholme) (Lab)
13. Whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the
International Court of Justice's advisory opinion entitled,
“Legal consequences arising from the policies and practices
of Israel in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”, published on 19
July 2024. (900149)
(Islington North) (Ind)
16. What assessment he has made of the potential implications for
his policies of the International Court of Justice's advisory
opinion entitled, “Legal consequences arising from the policies
and practices of Israel in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”, published on 19
July 2024. (900153)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Affairs ()
We have been clear that the Government must uphold both our
domestic and international legal obligations. The UK respects the
independence of the ICJ. We received the advisory opinion on 19
July and issued a statement that made it clear that we were
considering it carefully before responding. My colleagues on the
Front Bench have already made it clear that they oppose the
violence from settlers on the west bank, but I am happy to expand
on that point, if that is what my hon. Friend and the right hon.
Gentleman would like.
I thank the Foreign Secretary for showing bold leadership and
unequivocal support for international law by dropping the
previous Government's opposition to the arrest warrant against
Netanyahu. The ICJ's historic advisory opinion earlier this month
made it clear that Israel's occupation and annexation of
Palestinian territories is unlawful, an issue on which many of us
have campaigned. What steps is the Foreign Secretary taking to
ensure that Israel ends its
unlawful occupation, which includes the recent expansion of
Israeli settlements on the west bank and the annexation of East
Jerusalem?
I know that my hon. Friend cares deeply about these matters. The
Foreign Secretary visited the region within a week of taking
office, and he has also raised those precise issues with the
Israeli authorities. I reiterate that we are strongly opposed to
the expansion of illegal settlements and rising settler violence.
More west bank land has been declared state lands
by Israel this year than
at any time since the Oslo accords. The British Government
already have sanctions against eight people and two groups in
relation to settlers in the west bank, and we will look at all
options when it comes to tougher action on issues related to the
west bank.
Can the Minister be clear about this? The judgment or opinion
given by the ICJ is, quite clearly, that the occupation of Gaza,
the west bank and East Jerusalem is illegal. The settlement
policy is illegal. Do the Government accept that view, and if
they do, what actions will they take to ensure that appropriate
sanctions are taken against Israel including
ending arms supplies, to ensure that that judgment is carried
out, and that the people of Palestine can live in peace, and not
under occupation?
I thank the right hon. Member for his question. This is an
extremely complex finding, covering 90 pages. It was issued after
considerable deliberation by the ICJ, and there is a variety of
views from the judges. As we said at the time, it will take us
some time to respond to the full judgment. We will update the
House when we are in a position to do so. In the meantime,
sanctions will remain under review, as I mentioned in the
previous answer.
Topical
Questions
(Oxford West and Abingdon)
(LD)
This weekend, we saw an escalation across the UN blue line when
Hezbollah and Israel exchanged rocket
fire and 12 Druze children tragically lost their lives. One child
dying in war is too many, no matter what nationality they may be,
but this region is a tinderbox. What is the Foreign Secretary
doing to calm the area now that we have seen an escalation,
because surely that could be a disaster for the region?
Mr Lammy
The hon. Lady is right: the situation on the de facto border
between Lebanon and Israel is very
concerning. We urge all parties to act with caution. The UK
condemns the strike in the Golan heights, which has tragically
claimed the lives of 12 people. Hezbollah must cease its acts and
its destabilising activity. I was pleased to speak to the Prime
Minister yesterday, and I will say more on Lebanon in the coming
hours.
(Liverpool West Derby) (Ind)
T3. On 19 July, the Foreign Secretary stated that half a million
people in Gaza are in phase 5 of acute food insecurity, the
classification that indicates starvation and famine. UNICEF
reports that 29 children have died from malnutrition. How do the
Government plan to change that, as Palestinians face the
harrowing reality of death by starvation because of a political
choice?(900163)
The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Office ()
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising the issue, which we
have discussed previously in this Question Time. We are deeply
concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza; we have
reflected that in our policy response, but also in our
humanitarian response. For example, in the statement that the
Foreign Secretary made on his visit to the region, he committed
£5.5 million to UK-Med, which is providing a field hospital on
the ground that is desperately needed. We have also ensured that
there will be continued provision of the items of medicine, food
and nutrition that are required; we will play our part in that.
Mr (Basildon and Billericay)
(Con)
T6. In quick succession, the new Government have renewed
unconditional funding for UNRWA, despite the Hamas links, and
endorsed the International Criminal Court's controversial case.
Following Hezbollah's attacks at the weekend, will the Government
reflect on the step-by-step abandonment of one of our closest
allies in the middle east, and the potential impact that could
have on continuing, rather than curtailing, conflict and delaying
the peace settlement that we all want to see in the middle
east?(900166)
Mr Lammy
There is absolutely no abandonment of our close ties and
relationship with Israel and it was
hugely important for me to speak to both the Prime Minister and
the President to reiterate that. But in reflecting on the work of
Madame Colonna and her report—I urge the right hon. Gentleman to
read that report and its recommendations—it was also right that
we came forward with the funding, like all the rest of our
international allies. We did that with an extra £21 million, and
I remind the right hon. Gentleman that £1 million of that funding
is to ensure that those recommendations are implemented to ensure
the neutrality of UNRWA.
(Leeds East) (Ind)
T7. Following the recent rulings by the International Court of
Justice, what steps are the Government taking to ensure
that Israel complies with
its international legal obligations?(900167)
Mr Lammy
My hon. Friend has taken up these issues time and again in the
House. Let me make it clear that the expansion we have seen this
year is entirely unacceptable—it is more than the last 20 years
combined. We are keeping these issues under review and, of
course, I raised them with Prime Minister Netanyahu when I saw
him in Israel
(Stratford-on-Avon)
(LD)
T8. Will the Government commit to do whatever they can to
urgently secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, get the hostages
home, and re-establish as soon as possible a dedicated peace
process to set us on the path to a two-state solution, as raised
by many of my hon. Friends today, including my hon. Friend the
Member for Oxford West and Abingdon ()?(900168)
Mr Lammy
I think the hon. Lady speaks for the whole House in the way that
she put her comments, and I give her that undertaking.
(Bristol North East) (Lab)
All of us here want to see an end to the conflict in Gaza
and Israel and that means
getting to a lasting peace as soon as possible. There is growing
concern that we are seeing rising hostilities in the north
of Israel with Hezbollah,
with a deadly increase in attacks targeted against civilians.
Hezbollah is, of course, an Iranian-funded terror group that has
entrenched itself in southern Lebanon. Will the Foreign Secretary
reassure us that Britain will play a full part in working
with Israel and other allies
to counter the threat?
Mr Lammy
Further escalation is in nobody's interests. I reassure my hon.
Friend that we understand who sits behind Hezbollah—that is Iran.
It has been engaged in a lot of activity to drive forward
escalation in the region, so I of course want to give him that
reassurance.
(Harrow East) (Con)
In Gaza, 111 hostages are unaccounted for. Some are foreign
nationals, but most are Israeli citizens. Recently, bodies were
recovered from under the city of Khan Yunis, demonstrating that
Hamas have complete contempt for humanitarian areas. What action
is the Foreign Secretary taking to secure the release of the
hostages? Will he guarantee that Hamas will play no further part
in the governance of a state of Palestine?
Mr Lammy
It was very important for me to meet the hostage families when I
was in Israel and I have
spoken to hostage families since returning back to the country.
We are of course giving all the assistance we can to the Israeli
authorities to ensure that the hostages get out. I want the hon.
Gentleman to understand that we have this as a No. 1 concern.
Those hostages need to be returned.
