Written question asked by Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour) on Friday, 12 December 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 17 December 2003. It was answered by Hilary Benn (Labour) on Wednesday, 17 December 2003 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Dept for International Development

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the security fence on the humanitarian situation of Palestinians. (Failed OPQ)

Answer: Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State, Department for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the security fence on the humanitarian situation of Palestinians. [144415] Hilary Benn: The livelihoods of thousands of Palestinians have been drastically affected by the separation of villages from their agricultural land and water resources. The fence fragments communities and isolates people from vital social support networks. Residents are being cut off from schools, universities and medical care. According to the latest Israeli Government projections approximately 210,000 acres, or 14.5 per cent. of West Bank land, excluding East Jerusalem, will lie between the fence and the Green Line. This land is some of the most fertile in the West Bank and is home to 274,000 people. Of those, some 70,000 do not have Israeli residency permits and, as a consequence, may feel it necessary to move east of the fence in order to retain access to basic services.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 144415; 415 c916W
Session: 2003-04
Question not reached: Yes
Subjects: Armed conflict Borders Human rights Security Israel Palestine West Bank Middle East
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk