{"id":867,"date":"2016-12-28T20:40:23","date_gmt":"2016-12-28T20:40:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lfpme.org\/?post_type=parliament_activity&p=867"},"modified":"2017-09-21T21:36:45","modified_gmt":"2017-09-21T20:36:45","slug":"occupied-palestinian-territories","status":"publish","type":"parliament_activity","link":"https:\/\/www.lfpme.org\/activity\/occupied-palestinian-territories","title":{"rendered":"Occupied Palestinian Territories"},"content":{"rendered":"

5. What recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. [901841]<\/p>\n

The Minister of State, Department for International Development (Mr Desmond Swayne)<\/h2>\n

Some 2.3 million people in Gaza and the west bank have insecure access to food, and 1.4 million are in need of water, sanitation and hygiene. This month 58 Palestinians and eight Israelis have been killed, and 7,042 Palestinians and 70 Israelis have been injured.<\/p>\n

Tommy Sheppard<\/h2>\n

I have a related question on Gaza, if I may. What assessment has been made of the destruction of UK-funded facilities in Gaza by the bombing of the Israeli air force? It seems that we provide facilities, either directly or through the UN, but then those facilities get bombed and we have to provide them again. What can be done to stop that tragic merry-go-round, and will the Minister work with colleagues to try to persuade the Israeli Government to have a more proportionate response in Gaza and to stop hindering the relief effort?<\/p>\n

Mr Speaker<\/h2>\n

I am sorry but these questions are too long. We are very short of time\u2014we need pithy inquiries.<\/p>\n

Mr Swayne<\/h2>\n

Twelve UK-funded United Nations Relief and Works Agency schools were substantially damaged in the hostilities. The only way that can be prevented is by a peace process.<\/p>\n

Mr Speaker<\/h2>\n

A tutorial can be provided by Mr Howell.<\/p>\n

John Howell (Henley) (Con)<\/h2>\n

15. Will my right hon. Friend praise the doctors at the Hadassah medical centre in Jerusalem, who are showing real humanitarian characteristics by treating victims and attackers at the same time? [901851]<\/p>\n

\u200bMr Swayne<\/h2>\n

That is an object lesson on the measure of leadership now required to overcome the huge amount of distrust and hatred.<\/p>\n

Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth) (Lab)<\/h2>\n

12. What discussions has the Secretary of State had with the Israeli Government on the increase in illegal building on the west bank and the impact that that has had on current levels of violence? [901848]<\/p>\n

Mr Swayne<\/h2>\n

I have had substantial discussions with the Israeli Government on this issue and could not have been more robust in my representations.<\/p>\n

Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)<\/h2>\n

What consideration has my right hon. Friend given to the provision of a desalination plant for Gaza, as proposed by the Israeli Government, which would supply all the water needs for Gaza and satisfy the humanitarian grounds we want to see?<\/p>\n

Mr Swayne<\/h2>\n

My hon. Friend draws attention to a very important issue. UN studies predict that Gaza will become uninhabitable, as a consequence of the water problem, by 2020. A peace process is vital, so that the level of investment required to drive such developments becomes available.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","activity_category":[14],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfpme.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/parliament_activity\/867"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfpme.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/parliament_activity"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfpme.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/parliament_activity"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfpme.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"activity_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfpme.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/activity_category?post=867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}