Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the consequences of the proposed legislation by the Knesset retroactively legalising Jewish settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank; what response, if any, they have received; and how they intend to pursue the issue.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr. Ellwood), raised the issue with the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister when they met in London on 12 December. Minister Ellwood also raised the issue with the Israeli Ambassador to London and issued two press statements on the issue. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv has raised our concerns about the bill with the Minister for Strategic Affairs, the Minister for Science, the Deputy Finance Minister and a range of members of the Knesset. We continue to urge the Israeli Government to reconsider this legislation at the earliest possible opportunity.