Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the legality of Israel’s closure of Palestinian towns and cities including (a) Nablus and (b) Shuafat refugee camps.

The UK is aware of the fragile security situation in the West Bank and are monitoring developments closely. We look to all parties to take urgent steps to de-escalate tensions. The British Ambassador to Israel and British Consul-General in Jerusalem have been engaging with the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships to support them in restoring calm. We stress the importance of ensuring access for humanitarian and development organisations, including in Palestinian refugee camps, even during periods of instability. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.