Israel: E1 Zone Expansion Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
John Grady
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Israel: E1 Zone Expansion
John Grady Excerpts(1 month ago)
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Mr Falconer
My hon. Friend asks me about the use of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. That is obviously the basis on which all the Foreign Office sanctions are made. For the reasons that I have set out, I will not say anything further about sanctions from the Dispatch Box. We have done four waves and we have been clear today, as we were last month. In relation to the expo he refers to, I can clarify that it is legitimate to sell real estate within green line Israel in the UK and to advertise that, but it is not legitimate to advertise illegal settlements. That is why I wrote to the Advertising Standards Authority following that expo.
John Grady (Glasgow East) (Lab)
Businesses trading with unlawful settlements can be under no illusion that the settlements are unlawful and that the majority of Members of this House view them as utterly morally repugnant. Nor can they be under any illusion that the UK Government’s position is that people should not trade with unlawful settlements. I urge the Minister to act swiftly on this and to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that clever legal arguments around retrospectivity—because any measures will come in after the Minister’s clear statement—are closed off. Will the Minister consider primary legislation to ensure that those engaging in this morally repugnant trade are closed off, even if they enter into contracts today and legislation is passed in two months’ time?
Mr Falconer
I hesitate to commit the Government to primary legislation. The Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act has been sufficient for the four waves so far, but I have heard my hon. Friend’s important points.