Oral Answers to Questions

Nesil Caliskan Excerpts

Tuesday 27th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

5. What discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the E1 settlement plan in the west bank.

[Nesil Caliskan (Barking) (Lab)]

9. What steps his Department is taking to oppose the expansion of illegal settlements in the west bank.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

I call Nesil Caliskan—happy birthday.

[Nesil Caliskan]

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I welcome the Government’s new sanctions to address illegal settlement expansion in the west bank. We have all watched in great horror as Palestinians face injustice and ethnic cleansing. Indeed, a Human Rights Watch report found that Israeli forces had committed war crimes in the west bank. Will the Secretary of State stand by his words to this House, as I am sure that he will, not only to call out injustice and suffering, but to act? With that in mind, will the Government sanction Israeli Defence Minister Katz and Major General Bluth, who are implicated in these crimes?

[Ed Miliband]

Let me join you, Mr Speaker, in wishing my hon. Friend a happy birthday. May I say how well informed you are? I credit your staff, myself.

In all seriousness, the situation in the west bank is horrifying. We are witnessing unprecedented levels of violence, including settler terrorism and ethnic cleansing in some areas. I am not going to speculate on future designations of specific individuals, but we have laid legislation this month to expand the global human rights sanctions regime to target those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law, and we will use those powers.