Oral Answers to Questions

Nicola Richards Excerpts

Tuesday 20th April 2021 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire) (Con)]

What diplomatic steps he is taking to support peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

[Nicola Richards (West Bromwich East) (Con)]

What diplomatic steps he is taking to support peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

[Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab)]

What steps his Department is taking to support the creation of the international fund for Israeli-Palestinian peace.

--- Later in debate ---

[James Cleverly]

We regularly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law, and we have regular conversations on this issue. We also encourage the Palestinian leadership to work towards democratic institutions based on the rule of law, and we welcome President Abbas’s announcement of dates for elections in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and will work closely with the Palestinian Authority to support that. We have called for elections in East Jerusalem; my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has done so, and I did so with the Israeli ambassador in a meeting that we had just yesterday.

[Nicola Richards]

Despite assurances that, after countless delays, the EU review of Palestinian textbooks would be published in March, there is still no sign of the report. UK taxpayers’ money pays the salaries of Palestinian teachers who use material inciting violence against Israel and Jews, making peace harder to achieve. What more will my right hon. Friend do to ensure that UK aid does not prolong the conflict?

[James Cleverly]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question. I remind the House that the UK does not fund the textbooks used in Palestinian schools. We understand that the EU review is in its final stages. We are not able to comment on the content of that report until it is released. We regularly engage with the EU at senior level to push for timely publication, and we regularly liaise with the Palestinian Authority to try to bring about the improvements that my hon. Friend has highlighted.