Tory MP says the idea Israeli settlements prevent two-state solution is ‘utter tosh’
Andrew Percy tells MPs Hamas are the reason there is no peace between Israel and the Palestinians
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Conservative MP Andrew Percy has described the idea that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are the reason there has not been a two state solution as “just complete and utter tosh.”
Speaking in the Commons, former minister Percy, said Hamas were the reason there had been no two state agreement with Israel, saying they sought the “total ethnic cleansing” of the Jewish state.
He added:”They seek to murder every single Jew. They use the most awful sexual violence against women on October 7th. Some of those reports we read in shocking detail in The Times.”
Percy asked the UK government to “remain strong” in “rooting out” Hamas, who he described as a “murderous cult.”
Responding for the government Foreign Office minister Leo Docherty repeated his earlier claim to MPs that the “principle blockage” to peace was Hamas iself, adding the government continued to back Israel’s right to defend itself.
The UK government is looking at the possibility of shipping humanitarian aid to Gaza, Docherty confirmed. Docherty told MPs in the Commons:
“A very significant tonnage of humanitarian aid has been delivered by UK aircrafts, 74 times currently, we are doubling that.
“Greater utility lies in the assessment as to whether or not there could be a maritime route for an increase in humanitarian supplies.”
Ex- minister Kit Malthouse had earlier questioned why the Government was not able to parachute medicine and food into Gaza.
Malthouse had said: “If the RAF can fly surveillance planes over the Gaza Strip in the much-needed search for hostages and to help in their release, what is to stop us flying cargo planes over and parachuting food and medicine to a starving population?”
Tabling an urgent question in the Commons on Monday, Labour shadow international development minister Lisa Nandy urged the Government to push for another “cessation of hostilities” in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Labour’s shadow international development minister said: “This conflict has sadly reached another phase and many more innocent lives will be lost if we do not act now. We urge the Government to continue to push for another cessation of hostilities and for all remaining hostages to be freed.
“And to be clear, Israel must not besiege or blockade Gaza. It must comply with international law and protect innocent lives and civilian infrastructure and ensure attempts to address the humanitarian catastrophe are ramped up quickly.”
She added: “I urge the minister again to follow the US’s lead and appoint a humanitarian coordinator to get the trucks moving more quickly, to get fuel in, and to work towards the opening of Kerem Shalom.”
Docherty said: “We are pushing for a further pause. We regard this as imperative. The success, as it were, of the last one showed the utility of the pause in terms of the increased flow of humanitarian support.“
And we continue to strain every sinew if terms of our diplomacy to aim for that. The Foreign Secretary…. will continue to do that with his… ministerial counterparts right across the Middle East.”
Both the minister, and the Labour frontbencher were in agreement that Hamas continued to represent the obstacle to any breakthrough in the end of conflict in the Middle East.Nandy stressed Israel’s security could only be assured once Hamas could not repeat the October 7th terror attacks ever again.
MPs, from the Labour, SNP and Conservative benches lined up to condemn the high loss of life in Gaza, including children, with many repeating calls for a ceasefire.
Jeremy Corbyn suggested Israel was engaging in the cleansing of the entire population of Gaza.
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