To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the destruction by Israeli forces of a pipeline in the northern Jordan valley built to provide water to Palestinian communities.
Answered on
5 March 2015
We have not made representations on this particular case. However, the UK regularly raises issues of water in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Israeli authorities, including stressing the urgent need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to improve the current unacceptable situation and ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank and Gaza. We also regularly make clear, publicly and privately, to the Israeli authorities our serious concerns about the actual or threatened demolition of Palestinian infrastructure. Demolitions are harmful to the peace process; and are contrary to international humanitarian law. The Fourth Geneva Convention is clear that the destruction of any real or personal property in Occupied Territory is not justified unless it is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.