Israel: Palestinians
(asked on 6th December 2021) - View Source
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of comments made by UN Mideast envoy, Tor Wennesland, on 18 November to the UN Security Council concerning (1) the need to reduce the activities of the government of Israel in and around Jerusalem and the West Bank, (2) the importance of financial stability for the Palestinian Authority so it can pay salaries, and (3) the need to halt to settlement activities.
Answered by
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 20th December 2021
The UK continues to urge the Government of Israel to permanently end its settlement expansion and settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Minister Cleverly raised UK opposition to settlement expansion with the Government of Israel on 9 November. We share the concerns of the UN Middle East Envoy over the Palestinian Authority (PA)'s fiscal crisis and are actively working to help mitigate it. The UK has a substantial technical assistance programme within the Palestinian Ministry of Finance, strengthening public financial management. This programme is credited by the Palestinian Minister of Finance with helping to increase domestic revenues. We are also actively working with the PA and Government of Israel to resolve a number of long-standing issues that have the potential to substantially increase the clearance revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The UK continues to urge the Government of Israel to permanently end its settlement expansion and settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Minister Cleverly raised UK opposition to settlement expansion with the Government of Israel on 9 November. We share the concerns of the UN Middle East Envoy over the Palestinian Authority (PA)'s fiscal crisis and are actively working to help mitigate it. The UK has a substantial technical assistance programme within the Palestinian Ministry of Finance, strengthening public financial management. This programme is credited by the Palestinian Minister of Finance with helping to increase domestic revenues. We are also actively working with the PA and Government of Israel to resolve a number of long-standing issues that have the potential to substantially increase the clearance revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.