Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has considered taking steps to help ensure that (a) Eritrean and (b) other non-Ethiopian federal forces honour the terms of the Ethiopia-Tigray Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, signed on 2 November 2022.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The full implementation of the 'Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities' in Pretoria in November 2022 is key to peace and stability in Northern Ethiopia. The UK continues to be at the forefront of diplomatic and development efforts to sustain the agreement and encourage political dialogue. We regularly engage the parties to the agreement and the African Union guarantors to reiterate the importance of full implementation. We most recently issued a statement to this effect on 13 March alongside the US, EU, and 22 other countries. Furthermore, we are supporting the African Union Monitoring Verification and Compliance Mechanism.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to prevent conflict in Tigray.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is working with partners to prevent a return to conflict and preserve stability in the region by supporting the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. In the context of a rise in tensions in Tigray, we are actively engaging all parties to encourage de-escalation and dialogue. On 13 March we issued a joint statement alongside the US, EU, and 22 other countries to this effect.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on upholding the human rights of healthcare workers from Gaza detained in Israel.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has consistently raised concerns about the impact of this conflict on Gaza's healthcare systems and medical staff, including reiterating the requirement for all parties to uphold International Humanitarian Law. We are also deeply concerned by reports of the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees in Israel. I raised our concerns about healthcare workers in Gaza with Israel and urged Israel to clarify the reasons for detention of medical staff from Gaza who are detained in Israel, including cases such as Dr Hussam Abu Safiya. We have consistently called on Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on allowing independent monitors to access detention centres housing prisoners from Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are deeply concerned by reports of the mistreatment of detainees. The UK has raised this with the Israeli Government as a priority and continues to reiterate calls for Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities. 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: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the (a) arrest and (b) detention of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya in Israel.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by the reports of the detention of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and others. I have raised this case with both Israel's Ambassador to the UK, and Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Haskel. Israel must allow medical staff to carry out their work unimpeded, and to travel around Gaza as needed.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take legislative steps to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is completely committed to ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement, also known as the "High Seas Treaty" or "Global Ocean Treaty"), which is in line with our determination to reinvigorate the UK's wider international leadership on climate and nature. Work is in hand on the measures needed to implement the detailed and complex provisions of the Agreement before the UK can ratify.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has held with his Israeli counterparts on ensuring that actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory comply with international law.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have always been clear that a ceasefire is just the first step towards a lasting solution to this crisis. We must build confidence on all sides that helps sustain a ceasefire and move it into a lasting peace. This government is fully committed to international law and continues to press the Israeli government on issues of international law compliance. This government has suspended relevant export licences to Israel for use in military operations in the Gaza conflict, following a review of Israel's compliance and commitment to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which concluded that there was a clear risk they might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of IHL. Separately, this government respects the independence of the International Court of Justice. We continue to consider the Court's Advisory Opinion on Israel's occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) carefully. We are of the clear view that Israel should bring an end to its presence in the OPTs as rapidly as possible - but this must be done in a way that creates the conditions for negotiations towards the two-state solution.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of Israel's operation Iron Wall in the occupied West Bank; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of Israel's compliance with international law.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has been clear that it is in no one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank. The risk of instability is serious and the need for de-escalation urgent. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Turkish counterpart on upholding the human rights of members and those associated with the Gulen Movement.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We fully recognise how seriously the Turkish Government takes the Gülen movement which they proscribe as a terrorist organisation. We consistently encourage Turkey to uphold the rule of law. The UK Government believes that all legal cases should be treated in accordance with international human rights standards, including the right to a fair trial and access to lawyers. Our Embassy in Ankara regularly engages with political parties, civil society organisations and diplomatic counterparts on this issue.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is he taking to help ensure that (a) protections under international humanitarian law for medical professionals in Gaza are upheld and (b) people who violate such protections are held to account.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is unacceptable that over 1000 health workers have reportedly been killed since 7 October 2023. Israel must do more to protect civilians and those working to support those in such desperate need. The UK has raised protection of civilians and the destruction of health infrastructure repeatedly with the Israeli government, including on 5 November when I underlined our grave concern to Israel's Ambassador about repeated strikes on Kamal Adwan hospital. This government is clear that International Humanitarian Law must be upheld, and civilians protected. The UK is fully committed to international law and fully respects the independence of the International Court of Justice and of the International Criminal Court. We have suspended relevant export licences to Israel following a review that concluded there is a clear risk that UK export items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law.