Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the recent conflict at Temple Mount.

We have made representations to the Government of Israel stating that it is vital that the longstanding status quo in respect of access to Temple Mount/Haram al Sharif, and other historic sites, be preserved. In recent weeks, Her Majesty's Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised this with senior Israeli officials and the Israeli President. Our National Security Adviser also raised this with his Israeli counterpart. Most recently, on 12 October, the Charge d'Affaires at our Embassy in Israel raised this issue with Israel’s Deputy Defence Minister, requesting that restrictions on visitors be lifted.