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Peter Soulsby (Leicester
South, Lab)
When he (Jack Straw) last met representatives
of the Palestinian Authority to discuss progress on
the Middle East peace settlement.
In his initial response to the question, the Foreign
Secretary indicated that this is indeed a unique opportunity
to move forwards in the middle east and to move towards
a two-state solution that protects the interests of
the Israeli Government while securing justice for
the Palestinians, but in his response to the supplementary
he dealt with one of the issues that threatens that
progress. I hope that he can assure us that he will
press the Israeli Government to cease the construction
of their separation barrier and to cease the mass
arrests, because both those things threaten the continuation
of the process and also give succour to the militants,
who could so easily undermine the success of that
process. Will he press the Israeli Government to desist
on both fronts?
Jack Straw (Secretary
of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office)
As I have explained, we have already made,
and will continue to make, strong representations
to the Government of Israel about the building of
settlements other than on Israeli land and the siting
of the route of the separation barrier, again other
than on Israeli land.
On arrests, I simply say to
my hon. Friend that in recent weeks some hundreds
of prisoners have been released by the Israeli Government
as part of the steps that they have taken, in co-operation
with the Palestinian Authority, to rebuild better
confidence between the two sides and, not least, to
improve collaboration when Israel starts to withdraw
from Gaza on 16 August.
I also say to my hon. Friend
that it is important that we should not be rosy-eyed
about the terrorists—Hamas, Islamic Jihad and
Hezbollah—who are continuing to commit violence
not only against Israeli civilians and Israeli forces
but, in doing so, against the Palestinian moderates
who wish to see a peaceful solution to the conflict
that has continued there for nigh on 60 years.
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