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Palestinians: Health Services

Question for Foreign and Commonwealth Office

UIN 277647, tabled on 16 July 2019

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent to which Israel’s internal investigations into the killings of Palestinian health workers comply with international standards of (a) independence, (b) impartiality, (c) promptness, (d) thoroughness and (e) transparency.

Answered on

26 July 2019

We have not made an assessment of this matter. However we have stressed to Israel the need for independent and transparent investigations of deaths. We are deeply concerned by the significant deaths and injuries of civilians in Gaza over the last year. We urge the Israeli Government to publish the findings of the investigations launched by the Military Attorney General on 13 March. The UK remains concerned about the use of live ammunition and excessive force by the Israel Defense Forces. While Israel has the right to self-defence, it is vital that its actions are proportionate and seek to avoid civilian casualties. Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories remains a human rights country of concern.

Answered by

Foreign and Commonwealth Office