Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the government of Israel's settlement policy, and (2) the reported harming of civilians protesting against new settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The UK's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law. The former Minister for the Middle East, James Cleverly, raised UK opposition to settlement expansion with the Government of Israel on 9 November. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.