Oral Answers to Questions

David Linden Excerpts

Tuesday 12th December 2023 Commons Chamber

[Fleur Anderson (Putney) (Lab)]

13. What recent diplomatic steps he has taken to help secure peace in Israel and Palestine.

[David Linden (Glasgow East) (SNP)]

17. What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of formally recognising the state of Palestine.

[Chris Clarkson (Heywood and Middleton) (Con)]

20. What steps his Department is taking with international partners to support a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Mitchell]

The hon. Member is right. At the COP, the Prime Minister was able to have meetings with Qatar, Egypt and Jordan, as well as with Israel, and he reiterated the point that he has made publicly before, which is that Israel has the right to self-defence, but it must operate within international humanitarian law.

[David Linden]

The Minister talks about the need for a two-state solution, and we will not find much disagreement on that, but how can he advocate a two-state solution when the Government refuse to recognise the state of Palestine? Is he confident that there will be much left of Palestine after Israel’s continued bombardment? That is why we need a ceasefire right now.

[Mr Mitchell]

The Government strongly support the two-state solution. Of course, before these terrible events on 7 October, there were new partnerships with Israel developing across the middle east: one thinks in particular of the Emirates and Bahrain. When there is a break in the clouds and an opportunity for a political track to get going, we will do everything we can to build on the important point that the hon. Member underlined.