Military Co-operation with Israel

Debate between Christine Jardine and Jeremy Corbyn
Tuesday 18th March 2025

(1 month ago)

Westminster Hall
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Christine Jardine Portrait Christine Jardine (in the Chair)
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Order. We are very short of time, so I ask Members to refrain from interventions, in order to get through every speaker.

Jeremy Corbyn Portrait Jeremy Corbyn
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I will be brief, Ms Jardine, because we need to get through the debate and have the Front Benchers speak. I endorse what the hon. Gentleman said. I attended the International Court of Justice hearing, where South Africa presented an historic and brilliant case that led to that historic opinion being offered by the court.

I was also at The Hague for the launch of the Hague declaration by a number of nations that have dedicated themselves to pursue support for the ICJ and ICC decisions diplomatically, and recognise that Israel is in breach of the fourth Geneva convention on the obligations on occupying powers in countries, which applies to Israel in Gaza and the west bank. I believe the Hague declaration is an important step forward.

I would be grateful if the Minister would answer some specific points. What exactly is going on at RAF Akrotiri? What was it that the Prime Minister on his visit there said he could not talk about, but there was lots of it going on? That was a very strange statement and comment to make on television at that time. Why are so many flights going from Akrotiri to Israel? What is happening, as the hon. Member for Leicester South mentioned, to the information collected by those flights over Gaza? Is all the information collected going to be provided to the ICC and the ICJ to pursue their investigations, if they request it?

The 300 licences that still exist have been increased by another recently approved 34—

Christine Jardine Portrait Christine Jardine (in the Chair)
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Order. Sorry—time’s up. I call Jim Shannon.