To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel about any further house demolitions or destructions of education premises in Area C of the West Bank and the possibility of such actions being treated as forced transfers of population, in contravention of international law.
Answered on
19 December 2017
We most recently raised the issue of demolitions with the Israeli authorities on 29 November. As the Minister for the Middle East set out in a Westminster Hall debate on 6 December, the UK position on demolitions is clear: we consider them entirely unacceptable. In all but the most exceptional cases, they are contrary to international humanitarian law. Demolitions or evictions of Palestinian families from their homes cause unnecessary suffering and call into question Israel’s commitment to a viable two-state solution. The UK is particularly concerned by Israeli proposals to relocate the Bedouin population from the E1 area. The UN has said that these proposals could constitute forcible transfer.