Shadow Middle East Minister and LFI parliamentary supporter Wayne David MP
At today’s Urgent Question on recent violence in the West Bank, shadow Minister for the Middle East and LFI parliamentary supporter Wayne David MP used his comments to reaffirm Labour’s support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism, and condemned today’s terror attack in Tel Aviv, which injured seven Israelis.
David said: “Israel has the right to defend itself against militant groups, but that right must be exercised proportionately and in line with international law.”
He went on: “Likewise, I am extremely concerned about the breaking news of a suspected car ramming in Tel Aviv, where latest reports suggest that at least five people are injured. Can the Minister provide an urgent update on the situation? We will always condemn acts of terrorism, which only make peace harder to achieve.”
Later, he reasserted Labour’s support for a two-state solution, and pushed the government on what it was doing to support a peace process between Israel and the Palestinians: “In our view, there will be a lasting peace only when there is a negotiated diplomatic settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The only real solution will be a settlement based on two states: a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and independent Palestinian state. We strongly oppose actions that make this two-state solution harder to achieve. So my fundamental question is: what of substance are the Minister and the Government doing to bring this immediate conflict to an end and to lay the foundations for a two-state solution?”