30 August  2024

The BRICUP website makes no attempt to cover all aspects of the Palestine catastrophe. However, this statement from a UK government minister to a London member of PSC deserves careful reading by all BRICUP members and supporters. The statement should be taken with a shovelful of salt. Nevertheless, it may provide useful ammunition in future campaigns.

Dear  X ,

Thank you for your correspondence of 22 July, about the situation in Israel and Gaza. I am replying as a Minister at the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office and your Member of Parliament [Hornsey and Friern Barnet, north London].

The death and destruction in Gaza are intolerable. The UK is pushing for an immediate ceasefire. The fighting must stop, the hostages must be released and much, much more aid must enter Gaza. A deal is on the table, and we are urging both sides to show flexibility. Humanitarian aid is a moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe and the UK will continue to make significant funding available, working through trusted international partners to ensure that UK support reaches civilians on the ground.

The Foreign Secretary announced on 19 July that we will restart funding to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), releasing £21 million for Gaza and the region. We have also announced an additional £5.5 million to UK NGO UK-Med so it can continue delivering emergency medical care to those most in need. We are pressing Israel to deliver on its promise to “flood” Gaza with aid, calling for the opening of all border crossings, including Rafah, and take steps to ensure the safe distribution of aid in Gaza through a guaranteed deconfliction mechanism to keep humanitarian operations safe from military operations.

When it comes to arms exports, we have been clear that the Government will uphold our international legal obligations and act in line with the UK’s Strategic Export License Criteria.

The Foreign Secretary has commissioned a comprehensive review of Israel’s compliance with International Humanitarian Law and will come to a considered decision, which will be made public. The Government is absolutely clear on the fundamental importance of the international rule of law and respects the independence of the International Criminal Court. We respect the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber’s decision in 2021 that the Court’s territorial jurisdiction extends to the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Government is also considering advice on the International Court of Justice’s recent Advisory Opinion.

As we look for a pathway out of the wider crisis, we are conscious of this conflict’s complexities and are determined to listen to all sides. Our overarching goal is clear: a viable and sovereign Palestinian state, alongside a safe and secure Israel. There is no way out of this crisis without a route to both Palestinians and Israelis enjoying security, justice and opportunity in lands that they can call their own. We want a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution: a safe, secure Israel alongside a viable, sovereign Palestinian state. We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state as a contribution to a peace process, at a time that is most conducive to that process.

In pursuit of these objectives, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer MP, has spoken to the Foreign Minister of Lebanon, the Qatari Minister of State, the Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister, the Vice Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia and the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, as well as to the Ambassadors to the UK of Israel, Jordan and Bahrain and the Head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK. The Foreign Secretary visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 16 August and 14-15 July, meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, as well as families of hostages, victims of violence and members of the humanitarian community. The Foreign Secretary has also discussed the issue with colleagues from the G7 and the region. The Prime Minister last spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 20 August and President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority on Sunday 7 July. The Prime Minister also spoke with the President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian on 12 August 2024, expressing his deep concern at the situation in the region and called on all parties to de-escalate and avoid further regional confrontation.

The situation in the Middle East continues to evolve rapidly. But please rest assured that the Foreign Secretary and his entire Ministerial team will continue to do all they can to secure lasting peace in the region.

Yours ever,

CATHERINE WEST MP Minister for the Indo-Pacific