Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the UN Secretary General on measures by the UN to de-escalate the tension between Israel and Palestine.

I look forward to working closely with the international community, including the UN Secretary General, to help secure a de-escalation in tensions between Israel and Palestine. I fully support his call on 10 July for both sides to show maximum restraint. On 12 July the UK joined the rest of the Security Council in calling for a restoration of calm and a return to the November 2012 ceasefire. The UK stands ready to consider further action in the Security Council if that can help secure the ceasefire.