Contributions
3,765 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDEngagementsThe hon. Member talked about our military assets. Let me be crystal clear: the assets that we have moved into the region are not there in any combat capacity. They are there for…18 Oct 2023HANSARDEngagementsI thank my hon. Friend for all her work in this area. Early diagnosis of cancer is key and the NHS “Help Us, Help You” campaign is seeking to address the barriers deterring…18 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaI gently urge the hon. Gentleman to examine what I said earlier from the Dispatch Box, particularly about standing with the British Muslim community at this difficult time. We…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaMy right hon. Friend has made an excellent point. That is why there is complexity to opening the Rafah border crossing, but she should be reassured that we are engaged in those…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaI am proud that over the past few years we have been one of the leading donors to UNRWA, accounting for about 10% of all its support for the region. Today we announced an increase…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaAs we heard previously, there are complexities with ensuring the safe opening of the Rafah crossing. We are having conversations with the Israelis, the Egyptians and other…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaOf course, we keep everything under review, but I am not going to comment or speculate on reports where we do not have full access to information or are unable to verify facts.16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaI am confident that the Prime Minister of Israel does not want to see any regional escalation beyond dealing with Hamas. As a friend, we will continue to call on Israel to take…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaI thank my hon. Friend for his kind words and agree that we will continue to support Israel’s right to defend itself. We remain engaged in the region, talking to our partners, so…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaI thank my right hon. Friend for her contribution, and I can give her that reassurance. I know that she will have advice for us on how best we can do that. We are keen to make…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaIt is also important that Egypt is involved in that conversation because the Rafah crossing is one of the primary routes for aid to reach Gaza. That is why we have spoken…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaWe absolutely do not want to see regional escalation. One of the ways that we can help to ensure that that does not happen—my right hon. and learned Friend specifically mentioned…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaI believe that we must absolutely support Israel’s right to defend itself and to ensure that attacks like this cannot happen again, but as a friend, we will continue to call on…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaWe are doing everything we can to support humanitarian efforts, moving aid into the region as quickly as we can. We will continue to have conversations with all our counterparts…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaI can assure the hon. Lady that we are working very hard with partners across the region to bring humanitarian aid to the people who need it as soon as practically possible.16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaI thank my hon. Friend for what he said. He is absolutely right: we must stand resolutely with Israel and also with our allies, such as the US, to demonstrate that Hamas’s…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaI must gently point out to the hon. Lady that it is not Israel that is deliberately targeting civilians in Gaza; it is Hamas who are enmeshing themselves in the civilian…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaI can give my right hon. Friend that reassurance. It is not only something that we have discussed extensively with partners in the region, but why last week I deployed…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaUnlike Hamas, the Israeli President has said that the Israeli armed forces will operate in accordance with international law. Israel’s attempt to minimise civilian casualties by…16 Oct 2023HANSARDIsrael and GazaWe do support Israel’s right to defend itself and, as a friend, we will continue to call on Israel to take every precaution to avoid harming civilians. We will do everything we…16 Oct 2023