Israel (Hansard, 11 December 2003)

§ Mr. Jenkins
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support the implementation of the Geneva agreement between representatives of Israel and the Palestinian territories. [141814]

§ Mr. Rammell
The recognition and implementation of any final status agreement is for the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority. But. as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in his Statement on the Geneva Accord on 1 December "I would like to commend this initiative and the debate that it has stimulated among Israelis and Palestinians, and more widely in the International Community. I hope that this initiative will also show that Israelis and Palestinians remain capable of finding partners for peace and working together, and encourage a return to the negotiating table.

§ Mrs. Calton
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to encourage the Palestinian Authority to take steps to prevent further suicide attacks in Israel.
[143131]

§ Mr. Rammell
The UK, nationally and with EU partners, continues to urge the Palestinian Authority to fulfil its roadmap commitments on security, and intensify its efforts to tackle groups and individuals engaging in terrorist activity. The UK is also providing practical support to the Palestinian Authority to help them to rebuild the capacity of their security forces to tackle terrorism.

§ Mrs. Calton
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to persuade the Israeli Government to(a) stop further construction of the separation wall in the West Bank and (b) prevent more settlements being built there. [143037]

§ Mr. Rammell
The Government have urged the Government of Israel to re-route the fence away from Palestinian areas and to freeze settlement activity. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have made clear our concerns to the Israeli Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on a number of occasions. My noble Friend Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean raised these matters with the Israeli Foreign Minister during her visit to Israel on 30 September, and with the Israeli Minister for National Infrastructure on 29 October in London. She also raised our concerns about the fence with the Israeli Ambassador on 22 October.
Continuing illegal Israeli settlement activity and the building of the fence on Palestinian land threaten the prospects for a two-state solution and is an obstacle to peace. Israel should reverse its settlements policy and end land confiscation for the construction of the fence.
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