Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the accuracy of reports that on 11 August 2021, a one-storey building was demolished by its owners, displacing four families in the Shu’fat neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, following a ruling by the Israeli High Court.

We are aware of these reports. Demolitions and evictions of Palestinians from their homes cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians, call into question Israel's commitment to a viable two-state solution, and, in all but the most exceptional of cases, demolitions by an occupying power are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. We continue to urge the Government of Israel to avoid actions which make peace more difficult to achieve.