Written question asked by Richard Burden (Labour) on Thursday, 21 June 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 25 June 2007. It was answered by Ian McCartney (Labour) on Monday, 25 June 2007 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Occupied Territories

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she held discussions with EU partners in the week commencing 18 June on Israeli settlement building on the E1 plan and elsewhere in the West Bank; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not hold any discussions about settlement activity in the West Bank with her EU counterparts in the week commencing 18 June.Settlements are illegal under international law and settlement activity is an obstacle to peace. The Roadmap is clear that Israel should freeze all settlement construction including the ““natural growth”” of existing settlements, and dismantle all outposts built since 2001. The EU will not recognise any changes to the pre-1967 borders other than those agreed by both parties. We support this. Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised our concerns about settlement activity with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni on 28 May.

Secondary information