Wes Streeting – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wes Streeting on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent representations her Department has made to the Israeli government on the demolition of Palestinian homes and property funded by the UK.

Mr Desmond Swayne

The UK remains extremely concerned at the large increase in demolitions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since the start of 2016, compared to the monthly average in 2015, and continues to raise this with the Israeli authorities. Demolitions and the evictions of Palestinians from their homes cause unnecessary suffering, are harmful to the peace process, and in all but the most exceptional of cases are contrary to international humanitarian law. The UK supports the Norwegian Refugee Council to provide legal aid to Palestinian communities that are at risk of displacement.