Gaza: Politics and Government

Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Dr. Howells
The Government are committed to helping all Palestinians, including the people of Gaza. In financial year 2007-08 the UK has provided £31 million bilaterally to the Palestinians: £15 million through the UN Relief and Works Agency; £1 million to the International Committee for the Red Cross' work in the west bank and Gaza; and £15 million through the Temporary International Mechanism.

We are deeply concerned by the escalating security and humanitarian situation in Gaza and southern Israel. We deplore the suffering on both sides and urge all parties to exercise restraint. All parties should work for the normal operation of the Gaza crossings.

Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place between the Government and the Israeli government on the situation in Gaza.

Dr. Howells
The Government continue to believe that Israeli security and Palestinian suffering and hardship need to be addressed together, and they can only be addressed through mutual recognition, which will be vital to long-term stability in the area.

As my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development said on 21 January:

“The recent escalation of violence between Gazans and Israelis is extremely grave”.

Our ambassador in Tel Aviv regularly raises our concerns with the Israeli government about the security and humanitarian situation in Gaza. My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development have issued statements about the situation in Gaza on 30 October 2007, 11 January and 21 January 2008.

I made clear the Government's concerns on the situation in Gaza when I met the Israeli ambassador on 17 January.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will also be discussing the situation in Gaza with his European colleagues at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on 28 January. He raised our concerns in his conversation on 24 January with the Israeli Foreign Minister.