Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will take diplomatic steps to help prevent the expansion of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The UK policy on settlement expansion is clear: settlements are illegal under international law and only make it harder to progress to achieving peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians. We have called on the Israeli Government to halt seizures of Palestinian lands immediately.

On 3 May, the Foreign Secretary announced new sanctions on extremist groups and individuals for inciting and perpetrating settler violence in the West Bank. The measures impose financial restrictions on the entities and individuals, and travel restrictions on the individuals. The UK will not hesitate to take further action if needed, including through further sanctions.

The Foreign Secretary has made our position clear to his Israeli counterparts, including during his visit to the region on 17 April.