Asked by: Claire Hughes (Labour - Bangor Aberconwy)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he will take to help (a) support a ceasefire in Gaza and (b) enable the delivery of aid to (i) people and (ii) children at risk of starvation.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer my Hon Friend to the statement made to the House by the former Foreign Secretary on 1 September.
Asked by: Claire Hughes (Labour - Bangor Aberconwy)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 55674 on Palestinians: Recognition of States, what steps he is taking to advance the recognition of the State of Palestine.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK's commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering. The Prime Minister spoke to President Abbas on 29 July to condemn the suffering in Gaza, reiterate that Hamas must play no role in Gaza, and outline the UK's commitment to recognising the State of Palestine before the United Nations General Assembly in September unless Israel changes its course. We are continuing to engage all partners on advancing a two-state solution and supporting the foundations of Palestinian statehood. Our approach to recognition forms part of a wider plan for peace to end the horrific suffering and re-establish a pathway to a Two-State Solution. We aim to create the conditions for a lasting peace in Gaza, as the basis for a wider process to find a long-term political solution in the Middle East. The UK also welcomed Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohamad Mustafa to London in April. During the visit, we announced a package of £101 million which included support for governance reforms in the PA and signed a UK-PA MoU on Strategic Cooperation.