To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of reports that Israeli forces raided the offices of the human rights NGO, Defence for Children International-Palestine, during which files relating to child detainees were seized.
Answered on
21 September 2021
The UK and officials from other like-minded missions met with Defence for Children International - Palestine on 31 August. We have followed developments in this case, including an ongoing military court petition filed by the organisation. We have called upon the Government of Israel to fully respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of human rights defenders and organisations and to allow them to freely operate in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories. Israel's long-standing commitment to democratic values is one of its great strengths as a fellow democracy, and we continue to make clear that a strong, vibrant civil society is in Israel's own interest. As a friend of Israel, we would be concerned by any developments that may undermine this commitment.