Gaza: UN Commission of Inquiry Report

Lord Callanan Excerpts

Thursday 18th September 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Grocott (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Grocott (Lab)]

My Lords, it is time for this side. The Front Benches do not come first.

[Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, we can get both noble Lords in, whichever goes first.

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

My Lords, to nobody’s surprise, it has been reported that the Government are going to proceed with recognition of the state of Palestine, probably this weekend. While I accept that it was not their intention, this decision has been warmly welcomed by Hamas and its supporters, who regularly wave their flags on the streets near this place. Can the Minister tell the House why, when they originally announced this dramatic change of policy, they imposed lots of impossible-to-meet conditions on the State of Israel but none on Hamas, not even the release of the dozens of hostages still languishing in the dungeons of Gaza?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

If the Government of Israel do not wish the United Kingdom Government to do what they said they would do about six weeks ago—we can all read a calendar, and we know what is happening next week—it is clear what they need to do. It is up to the Government of Israel to make their decision.