Written question asked by Lord Hylton (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Howell of Guildford (Conservative) on Tuesday, 29 November 2011.

Israel and Palestine: West Bank

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel about the payment of compensation to shopkeepers in Hebron, who had their shops closed or their apartments seized by Israeli settlers; and, if so, how much.

Answer: We have not specifically raised the prospect of compensation for shopkeepers in Hebron. We remain concerned about evictions and demolitions of Palestinian property in the West Bank. The UK has a good record of lobbying hard on issues relating to house demolitions and settlement building. We view any attempts to change the facts on the ground as a serious provocation likely to raise tensions and cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians, as well as being harmful to the peace process and in contravention of international law.

Secondary information