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93724

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of ISIL on Christian communities in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon; and what plans there are to protect such communities.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL2148
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>The humanitarian reports from Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the region are deeply concerning. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and associated armed groups continue to commit atrocities against Muslims, Christians, Yezidis, Turkmen and other communities throughout the areas under their control. We condemn any and all abuses of human rights, including those against Christians.</p><p>We are working closely with our international partners, including in the region, to try to assist and protect civilians - including Christians - from ISIL through a long-term, comprehensive strategy to degrade and defeat this terrorist organisation.</p><p>This strategy is being delivered by a large international coalition, where UK actions complement, and are coordinated with, those of other actors. It has security, political and humanitarian dimensions. For example, in Iraq, we are carrying out airstrikes against ISIL and are providing military assistance to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces so that they can restore control over the areas taken by ISIL. In Syria, we support military action by the US and five Arab states against ISIL; we are supporting the Syrian moderate opposition, who are fighting ISIL; and we continue to work for a political transition: when it comes to tackling ISIL, Assad is part of the problem, not part of the solution. In Lebanon, we continue to press for the election of a President, strengthen municipalities and support the Lebanese Armed Forces reassert state authority in their border regions On the humanitarian front, we continue to provide swift and substantial assistance to those who have fled areas controlled by ISIL, including air drops to deliver aid to those trapped by ISIL. On the diplomatic front, at the Human Rights Council in September we, alongside our international partners, secured a resolution strongly condemning ISIL and stressing the need for accountability.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 24/10/2014 12:33:27 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

93409

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with other European Union member states about scaling up the resettlement programme for refugees displaced by fighting in Syria and Iraq; and what is their policy in regard to applications for asylum from displaced Yezidis and Christians from those countries.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2075
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government believes that humanitarian aid and actively seeking to end the conflicts in Syria and Iraq are the most effective ways for the UK to help the majority of refugees, rather than increasing resettlement. We have made our position on this clear in relevant discussions with other EU Member States and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). We are aware that EU Member States have responded to the crises in different ways; it is right that the international community should consider all available means to relieve the suffering of the Syrian and Iraqi peoples. However, the UK’s overall contribution stands comparison with any in the world.</p><p> </p><p>To date we have committed £700 million to the Syrian relief effort, making us the second largest bilateral donor after the USA, and £23 million in aid to Iraq. UK funding is helping hundred of thousands of refugees; compared with aid, resettlement can only ever support a comparatively small number of people in need. We also support efforts to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict, and we are working with the Iraqi government and the international community to tackle the threat posed by IS and promote an inclusive, sovereign and democratic Iraq which will protect all Iraqi citizens.</p><p> </p><p>To complement our humanitarian aid, we operate the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme to relocate to the UK the most vulnerable displaced Syrians who cannot be supported effectively in the long term in the region. In addition, the Government carefully considers each asylum application lodged in the UK, including those made by Syrian and Iraqi nationals on the grounds of religious persecution, on its individual merits, to ensure we grant protection to those who genuinely need it.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 27/10/2014 12:30:23 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

93410

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered relocating tented facilities from Afghanistan to the Kurdish regional area to house displaced refugees; and what discussions they have had with the Kurdish authorities about providing adequate shelter for refugees during the winter months.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2076
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>DFID is already delivering at scale in Iraq. UK Aid has provided £17.5 million (of a total £23m) in funding to the UN, NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) and ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) for projects including winterisation assistance such as shelter kits for people living in collective shelters and unfinished buildings. In addition we have supplied 1,545 winterised tents and 4,720 thermal blankets for various UN agencies and NGO partners to distribute across affected areas including to families vulnerable in the winter climate. Our Advisors on the ground are working closely with aid agencies, the UN and the Kurdistan Regional Government to ensure that there is both an accurate assessment of need and an effective plan for meeting it. The UK will continue to closely monitor the situation in the Kurdish and wider regions of Iraq.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Northover question first answered 21/10/2014 16:35:30 answering member 2539 label Biography information for Baroness Northover
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

92383

registered interest
date	06/10/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of Palestinian civilians killed as a result of Israeli military action during the period of the most recent peace negotiations.
tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
uin	HL1945
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>Since the agreement of 26 August by all parties to a ceasefire in Gaza, four Palestinians have been killed by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). On 23 September, the IDF killed two Palestinians in Hebron suspected of involvement in the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers in June. On 10 September, a 22 year old Palestinian man was killed by the IDF in al-Amari refugee camp. The IDF claimed he was about to throw an explosive device. The incident occurred as clashes broke out during an IDF arrest operation in the al-Amari camp. A 16 year old youth died on 7 September from wounds he received, allegedly from a rubber bullet fired by the Israeli police, during clashes with the police in Jerusalem on 31 August.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 20/10/2014 13:11:02 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

92386

registered interest
date	06/10/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on any future two-state negotiations of Israel’s recent designation as state land of land at Gvaot outside Bethlehem.
tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
uin	HL1948
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>The British Government's assessment of Israel’s decision on 31 August to expropriate almost 990 acres of privately owned Palestinian land near Bethlehem, is that this presents an obstacle to peace and takes us further away from a two state solution at a time when negotiations to achieve this objective urgently need to be resumed. We have strongly urged the Government of Israel to reverse this decision.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 20/10/2014 13:12:00 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

91876

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they (1) have made, and (2) intend to make, to the government of Israel about the full lifting of the blockade on Gaza.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL1934
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>Our ambassador in Tel Aviv most recently raised the issue of Gaza with the Israeli National Security Adviser on 15 September. They discussed Israel permitting the transfer of goods to the West Bank, and exports to Israel. Since the 26 August ceasefire our Ambassador has also made the case to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Middle East Peace Process negotiator, his Cabinet Secretary, his National Security Advisor, his Chief of Staff, and his Trade, Finance and Justice Ministers, that the opening up of transfers/exports from the private sector in Gaza and a broader lifting of restrictions would address one of the fundamental drivers of instability in Gaza.</p><p>Our officials in Tel Aviv will continue to lobby Israeli officials in future meetings on the issue of movement and access in Gaza.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 13/10/2014 13:43:01 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

89955

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the then United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, that "there seems to be a strong possibility that international law has been violated, in a manner that could amount to war crimes," by Israel in Gaza; and whether they have made any representations to the United Nations about that statement.
tabling member printed	Baroness Uddin
uin	HL1797
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2014 answer text <p>The Government has taken note of the statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. We are clear that there must be meaningful investigations into possible violations of international humanitarian law by all sides, including those abuses committed by Hamas and other militant groups. We call on all parties to cooperate with the UN Commission of Inquiry, which must be balanced and impartial. We have not responded directly to the UN on this statement but we have commented publicly on a number of the issues raised in it. The UN Commission of Inquiry has yet to complete its work, so it would be wrong to pre-determine its findings.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 15/09/2014 11:21:20 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1827 label Biography information for Baroness Uddin

89972

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Palestinian civilians, at the time of the latest ceasefire, had been (1) killed, and (2) injured, as a result of Israel’s military action in Gaza; how many of those casualties were children; and what were the comparable figures for Israeli civilian casualties from Palestinian military action in the same period.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL1814
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2014 answer text <p>According to UN figures, the number of Palestinian civilians killed as a result of Israel’s military action in Gaza was, by the time of the 26 August ceasefire, 1,462. 495 of them were children. The UN does not provide exact figures for the number of injured Palestinian civilians. However, it estimates that over 5,000 women, children and elderly Palestinians were injured.</p><p>According to Israeli government statistics, seven civilians in Israel were killed by rocket/mortar fire from militant groups in Gaza. Six of these were Israeli (including one child) and one was a Thai national. 126 were injured. Further casualties from Hamas rockets were thought to have been prevented by the Israeli Iron Dome system.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 15/09/2014 11:12:11 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

89973

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 30 July (HL1482), whether they now consider that the recent military action by Israel in Gaza is proportionate, as defined in the Joint Service Manual of the Law of Armed Conflict; and whether they will publish their assessment of the proportionality of that action.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL1815
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2014 answer text <p>The Prime Minister, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has been clear on the UK’s recognition of Israel’s right to take proportionate action to defend itself and our condemnation of Hamas’s rocket attacks. We have consistently urged Israel to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties, to exercise restraint, and to help find ways to bring this situation to an end. There must now be meaningful, effective and independent investigations into possible violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law by all sides, including those abuses committed by Hamas and other militant groups. Both sides should cooperate with the Commission of Inquiry set up by the UN Human Rights Council, which must itself be independent and balanced in its approach.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 15/09/2014 10:53:42 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner

89976

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 18 August (HL1710), whether they regard that the lifting of the Israeli blockade of Gaza is a requirement for avoiding "a return to the status quo ante" set out in that answer.
tabling member printed	Lord Warner
uin	HL1818
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2014 answer text <p>A durable ceasefire agreement will have to address the underlying causes of the conflict to bring an end to the cycle of violence. Avoiding a return to the status quo ante will require an agreement which: addresses Israel’s legitimate security concerns; allows the Palestinian Government under the leadership of President Abbas to resume control of Gaza to restore effective and accountable governance; and ensures the lifting of Israeli restrictions, to ease the suffering of ordinary Palestinians, and allows Gaza’s economy to grow.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 15/09/2014 10:52:40 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1732 label Biography information for Lord Warner