Tuesday 15th October 2024

(1 day, 13 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.

This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record

Anneliese Dodds Portrait Anneliese Dodds
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I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this important issue. The UK Government are crystal clear here. Palestinian statehood is the right of the Palestinian people, as I said a few moments ago in this Chamber. It is not in the gift of any neighbour, and it is also essential to the long-term security of Israel. My hon. Friend asked about timing. The Government have been clear that we will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a peace process at a time that is most conducive to the long-term prospects for peace, and surely peace is what we all need to see.

Rachael Maskell Portrait Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)
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This morning we heard that Lord Cameron had done all the preparatory work to sanction two members of the Israeli Government. Could my right hon. Friend say what she has done with that work over the three months that it has been in the Department, and also whether the Government have commenced looking at work to sanction the Israeli Prime Minister for his contribution to these war crimes?

Anneliese Dodds Portrait Anneliese Dodds
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My hon. Friend rightly raises the issue of sanctions. I have referred previously in this urgent question to the fact that the UK Government have sanctioned those who have been promoting illegal and violent actions by settlers. We have been clear about the unacceptable nature of that. Of course, we will always keep our sanctions regime under review and we take that responsibility very seriously.