Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support progress towards a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine.

The UK remains committed to making progress towards a two-state solution, resulting in a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State; based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states. The Prime Minister met his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, on 24 March and emphasised the risk of undermining efforts toward the two-state solution. The Foreign Secretary and Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, Minister for the Middle East, met Israeli Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen, during his recent visit to London on 21 March. They discussed our strong bilateral relationship and also the vital importance of de-escalating the rising tension in the West Bank.