A
number of constituents have recently written to me asking if I would call on
the government to impose sanctions on Israel in view of latest developments in
the contentious region. I want to thank you for taking the time to contact me
on this important matter and I hope they will find my response below helpful.
The
lack of progress made in the Middle East peace process is concerning but it is
not unfair to say that this is in part due to the current pandemic and the
importance that countries are placing on prioritising their response to it.
Furthermore,
recent cooperation we have seen between Israelis and Palestinians in
coordinating their response to COVID-19 is commendable and demonstrates that
positive engagement between the two sides is possible.
The
UK is the fourth largest donor country to the Palestinian Authority’s efforts
to combat coronavirus, with over $1.12 million provided via the Inter-Agency
Response Plan.
On
the specific issue of Israeli annexation of settlements, while I believe
settlement expansion to be counter-productive to the peace process, they should
not be considered a permanent obstacle to peace. Not only does Israel have a
history of removing settlements in the interests of peace, but both parties
have accepted for decades, as per previous interim peace agreements, that a
final two-state solution would include Israel retaining settlements in exchange
for equivalent land swaps.
As
a country renowned for its high-tech expertise and scientific discoveries, the
UK benefits from Israeli innovation. Medicines from Israel save the NHS billions
of pounds a year, and over 200 tablets or capsules made by Israeli
pharmaceutical company Teva are taken by patients in the UK every second.
Sanctions
on Israel and the wider boycott campaign therefore stands to be damaging for
UK-Israel bilateral relations and the wellbeing of our populations.
As
a supporter of the State of Israel, I celebrate the UK’s record trade ties and
flourishing partnership in medicine, technology and academia with the country.
I may not always be in agreement with the actions of its government, but that
does not detract from the fact that Israel is the only true democracy in the
region and a strong bilateral partner to the UK.
At
the same time, I am proud to be a friend of the Palestinian people. I look
forward to the day when Palestinians can enjoy the security of a sovereign
state upon the successful conclusion of a negotiated two-state solution. This
will require difficult compromises from the leaders of both parties, but it
remains achievable.
What is clear, above all, is that the need for
a renewed peace process is more urgent than ever. Our Government remains
committed to a two-state solution through direct negotiations, and all parties
involved as well as the international community must step up efforts without delay.
