Asked by: Jim McGovern (Labour - Dundee West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effect of illegal settlements on the economic development of Palestine.
Answered by Justine Greening
Denying Palestinians access to the resources of Area C, whether through expanding illegal settlements, declaring closed military zones and national parks, or restricting movement and access, is crippling the Palestinian economy. The World Bank estimates that easing these restrictions could increase Palestinian GDP by 35%.