Written question asked by Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated) on Monday, 28 October 2019, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 11 November 2019. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Tuesday, 5 November 2019 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

West Bank: Children

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to protect Palestinian children in the West Bank from violence, including the use of live ammunition by the Israeli army.

Answer: The Government is very concerned at the high numbers of Palestinians killed by Israel Defense Forces both in the West Bank and Gaza. We have raised the issue with the Israeli authorities, encouraging them to carry out transparent investigations into whether use of live fire had been appropriate. The UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces police non-violent protests and the border areas, including the use of live ammunition. We will continue to do so. We also stress the importance of protecting civilians, especially children and medical personnel. We call on Israel to adhere to the principles of necessity and proportionality when defending its legitimate security interest.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: HL479
Session: 2019-19
Subjects: Children Armed conflict Protection Violence Israel Palestine West Bank
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk