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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to persuade the Israeli Government to (a) stop further construction of the separation wall in the West Bank and (b) prevent more settlements being built there. [143037] Mr. Rammell: The Government have urged the Government of Israel to re-route the fence away from Palestinian areas and to freeze settlement activity. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have made clear our concerns to the Israeli Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on a number of occasions. My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean raised these matters with the Israeli Foreign Minister during her visit to Israel on 30 September, and with the Israeli Minister for National Infrastructure on 29 October in London. She also raised our concerns about the fence with the Israeli Ambassador on 22 October. Continuing illegal Israeli settlement activity and the building of the fence on Palestinian land threaten the prospects for a two-state solution and is an obstacle to peace. Israel should reverse its settlements policy and end land confiscation for the construction of the fence.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

143037; 415 c587-8W;415 c586W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Armed conflict Construction Borders Israel Palestine West Bank Middle East Peace negotiations Occupied territories

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk