Israel

Question

Asked by

Lord Dykes
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the statement made to the United States media by the Hamas leader, Khalid Mish’al, that Hamas accepts the two-state solution, and full negotiations with Israel. [HL3437]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown)
We are aware of the New York Times interview with Khalid Mish’al. We welcome Khalid Mish’al’s professed commitment to being “part of the solution”. However, we remain concerned about Hamas’s refusal explicitly to renounce violence, recognise Israel, and indicate its adherence to previous agreements. Hamas must do this in order for the UK to be in a position to engage with it.