Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of working with his international counterparts to establish an international fund for Israeli-Palestinian peace.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This government has prioritised working to end this conflict and secure the safe release of hostages, in co-ordination with international partners, since day one. We will continue to use every diplomatic lever to bring about a ceasefire deal as the first step towards long-term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians, and the wider region. The Prime Minister has pledged his support for the establishment of an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace. Speaking on December 2, 2024, he announced plans for the Foreign Secretary to convene an "inaugural meeting in London to support civil society in the region, as part of that work to negotiate a two-state solution." The Foreign Secretary and I welcome the opportunity to discuss further with civil society organisations their work and the prospects for peacebuilding. The Foreign Secretary has raised the issue of securing long-term peace in all his meetings with counterparts across the region, in addition to the US, Germany and France. The UK will play our full diplomatic role in ending this conflict and creating a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to include Israeli-Palestinian civil society peacebuilding in diplomatic resolutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister has pledged his support for the establishment of an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace. Speaking on December 2, 2024, he announced plans for the Foreign Secretary to convene an "inaugural meeting in London to support civil society in the region, as part of that work to negotiate a two-state solution."
This government has been clear; we are committed to pursuing a lasting solution to the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict, including through achieving a two-state solution. We continue to support efforts to this end through our aid programmes, which assist civil society in Israel and Palestine on a range of issues, including peacebuilding and conflict resolution. I have met with representatives of the Alliance for Middle East Peace to discuss their proposal for an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian peace. The Foreign Secretary and I welcome the opportunity to discuss further with civil society organisations their work and the prospects for peacebuilding. We further support grassroots local peacebuilding efforts between Israeli and Palestinian civil society, for example on more inclusive and conflict-sensitive journalism.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Apulia G7 Leaders’ communique, published in June 2024, what steps his Department is taking to support civil society peacebuilding efforts in (a) Israel and (b) Palestine.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In June 2024, the G7 Heads of Government included milestone new language in their communiqué, committing to "working together and with other international partners to closely coordinate and institutionalize our support for civil society peacebuilding efforts, ensuring that such efforts are part of a larger strategy to build the foundation necessary for a negotiated and lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace." This government has been clear; we are committed to pursuing a lasting solution to the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict, including through achieving a two-state solution. We continue to support efforts to this end through our aid programmes, which assist civil society in Israel and Palestine on a range of issues, including peacebuilding and conflict resolution. We further support grassroots local peacebuilding efforts between Israeli and Palestinian civil society, for example on more inclusive and conflict-sensitive journalism.