Israel: United States Diplomatic Representation Debate

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Israel: United States Diplomatic Representation

Viscount Waverley Excerpts
Thursday 7th December 2017

(6 years, 5 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Goldie Portrait Baroness Goldie
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The United Kingdom Government decide where our embassy will be. In Israel, it will be in Tel Aviv.

Viscount Waverley Portrait Viscount Waverley (CB)
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My Lords, is it not now very clear that the President is being advised by the wrong set of people and that soliciting opinions from a family member with close links to President Netanyahu to the exclusion of professionals is going to lead to unmitigated disaster and—I echo others in your Lordships’ House today—bordering on serious instability?

Baroness Goldie Portrait Baroness Goldie
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The noble Viscount will understand that it is not for the United Kingdom Government to tell the United States Government what to do. The United States has made its decision in this respect. President Trump has indicated that he still believes in a negotiated two-state solution. It is helpful to hear that. Clearly, he wants to contribute to the peace process if he can. People may have different views about the decision that he has made in relation to his attitude to Jerusalem and the location of the US embassy, but at the same time there is evidence that President Trump wants to make a positive contribution to the peace process.