Some of you may have signed the petition asking the government to review its foreign policy towards Israel, given the reports of Amnesty, Human Rights Watch and the UN Special Rapporteur. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office responded that it was aware of these reports but did not agree with the terminology they used. It went on: ‘the UK’s position on the Middle East Peace Process is clear and longstanding: we support a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state; based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees. Resuming meaningful bilateral negotiations, with international support, is the best way of getting to an agreement.’ This statement ignores the fact that Israel now occupies land beyond the 1967 borders and does so without international sanctions. To read the full response go to https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/618802
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