Oral Answers to Questions

Alan Brown Excerpts

Tuesday 12th March 2024 Commons Chamber

[Peter Grant (Glenrothes) (SNP)]

7. What recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Israeli occupation of the west bank.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

20. What recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Israeli occupation of the west bank.

[The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Mr Andrew Mitchell)]

Israel must not undermine prospects for peace and security in the west bank. As the occupying power, Israel must protect the civilian population.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Mitchell]

The Government pursue the objectives I have set out clearly to the House in a way most likely to bring success. The five core asks that are so relevant to many of these questions are: the release of all hostages; formation of a new Palestinian Government for the west bank and Gaza; removing Hamas’s capacity to launch attacks against Israel; Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza; and, with our allies, the provision of serious practical and technical support for the Palestinian Authority. That is the approach that is most likely to command support and not, I fear, the line that the hon. Gentleman took.

[Alan Brown]

The Minister said that Israel has a duty to protect civilians, but in the west bank there have been 400 deaths. There are now testimonies from Palestinian civilians, including women and children, who have been subject to kidnap, torture and abuse at the hands of Israeli settlers, yet the UK Government have sanctioned only four illegal settlers. What further action are the UK Government going to take against settlers? Surely it is time to ban the trade of goods from those illegal settlements once and for all.

[Mr Mitchell]

I really do not think that that would be a very sensible thing to do. We do not comment across the Floor of the House on who is about to be sanctioned or where the sanctions regime is going, but the hon. Member may rest assured that we keep these matters under very careful review.