Written question asked by Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated) on Monday, 2 November 2020, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 16 November 2020. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Friday, 13 November 2020 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Armed Conflict: Civilians

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Protection of Civilians Report (6-19 October 2020), published on 23 October, and in particular, the destruction of Palestinian-owned olive trees.

Answer: We are aware of the findings of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Protection of Civilians Report (6-19 October 2020). The UK condemns any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. We recognise that there can be an increase in assaults on Palestinian farmers, the destruction of olive trees and the stealing of produce coinciding with the Palestinian olive harvest, which began earlier this month. We have expressed our concerns to the Israeli Government on a number of occasions. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance and bring those responsible to justice.

Secondary information