Palestinians: Politics and Government

Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on stability in the region of the newly formed Palestinian Government.

Dr. Howells
We have made no assessment of the effect the new Palestinian Government have had on stability in the region. We, along with regional partners, are concerned about the current situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Palestinian President Abbas, US Secretary of State Rice and the Egyptian, Omani and Qatari Foreign Ministers ahead of the Arab League Foreign Ministers meeting on 15 June. We support President Abbas and the emergency Government.

Arab League Foreign Ministers on 15 June agreed to support President Abbas and condemned all parties for the violence. The Arab League agreed to establish a Fact-Finding Committee (Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Qatar) to engage with the parties.