Many thanks to those who contacted me about Palestine.
I appreciate the concerns many people have regarding the Government of Israel's recent decision to proscribe six civil society organisations as terrorist groups.
HM Government has a close relationship with the Government of Israeli, the strength of which allows sensitive issues such as this to be raised. Minister Cleverly assured the House on 26 October that he and his colleagues at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will be speaking to their Israeli counterparts to understand why they felt they needed to take this action. I will ensure that the FCDO is aware of your strength of feeling on this issue.
The UK is a proud champion of human rights and a strong supporter of those around the world who dedicate their lives to defending them. Support is provided to HRDs through bilateral contributions around the world, and through core contributions to multilateral organisations. The FCDO also monitors treatment of HRDs in its annual Human Rights and Democracy Reports, the most recent of which was published on 8 July. That report paid tribute to the courageous work of HRDs and listed support for them as a UK foreign policy priority.
Thank you for those who invited me to the briefing on the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) organised by the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign on 17 November and the Winter Palestine Lobby Day on the 7th December. I am unable to attend these event due to pre-existing commitments, however, I can assure you that I share the UK’s longstanding commitment to a two-state solution, where two equal and sovereign states, Palestine and Israel, live side by side in peace and mutual respect; and that I am following all developments, including the ongoing efforts of ministers and British officials towards the above end, very closely.
