Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what bilateral and multilateral steps they are taking to uphold both international law and the principles of the Balfour Declaration to call for Israel to halt plans for the demolition of Khan Al Ahmar, the home of a Palestinian Bedouin community.

The Foreign Secretary issued a statement on 1 June stating that the UK is deeply concerned by the proposed demolition of the village of Khan al-Ahmar, noting the UN has said that the proposed demolitions could amount to “forcible transfer”, in violation of International Humanitarian Law and urging Israel not to proceed. The Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa visited the community on 30 May to stress UK concerns about the impact of the court case and in his meetings with the Israeli government he urged them to reconsider options so the community did not have to move, and pressed for more Palestinian planning applications to be approved.