{"value":{"id":1663609,"askingMemberId":415,"askingMember":null,"house":"Commons","memberHasInterest":false,"dateTabled":"2023-10-13T00:00:00","dateForAnswer":"2023-10-17T00:00:00","uin":"201463","questionText":"To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterpart on the demolition of Palestinian homes in Masafer Yatta.","answeringBodyId":208,"answeringBodyName":"Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office","isWithdrawn":false,"isNamedDay":false,"groupedQuestions":[],"answerIsHolding":false,"answerIsCorrection":false,"answeringMemberId":4033,"answeringMember":null,"correctingMemberId":null,"correctingMember":null,"dateAnswered":"2023-10-24T00:00:00","answerText":"<p>As I [Minister Rutley] said in the House of Commons on 18 July, the UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions and evictions are contrary to international humanitarian law. Our opposition to the demolition of Palestinian property is long-standing. The practice causes unnecessary suffering and is harmful to efforts to promote peace. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon continues to reiterate this position to Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Israel's Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely. On 13 September, the Foreign Secretary met Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in Ramallah where he acknowledged apprehensions over continued Israeli settlement expansion, demolitions and evictions in the West Bank.</p>","originalAnswerText":"","comparableAnswerText":"","dateAnswerCorrected":null,"dateHoldingAnswer":null,"attachmentCount":0,"heading":"West Bank: Demolition","attachments":[],"groupedQuestionsDates":[]},"links":[{"rel":"self","href":"/Questions/1663609","method":"GET"}]}