Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter from Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights to the Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, sent on 19 January, regarding the withholding of the body of Ahmed Erekat, what representations they have made to the government of Israel about (1) ending its policy of withholding Palestinians' bodies, and (2) returning the bodies of all Palestinians to their families.

We are aware of the case of Ahmed Erekat, and reports of a High Court petition for the release of Mr Erekat's body. We understand the Israeli security cabinet have ruled that it would not allow the return of bodies of Palestinians held by Israeli Security Forces (ISF). While we have not raised the case, we will continue to monitor the situation. The UK position is clear: we urge all sides to treat the dead with respect and urge Israel to return any bodies they are holding. We regularly raise the issue of the high numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by Israel Defense Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities, encouraging them to carry out transparent investigations into whether use of live fire had been appropriate.