Conservative MPs yesterday directed questions highlighting Palestinian Authority-sanctioned incitement to the Minister for International Development in DfID oral questions.
CFI Parliamentary Vice-Chairman John Howell, MP for Henley, asked the Secretary of State for International Development, Rt Hon Justine Greening MP: “The Prime Minister has been clear that Palestinian incitement will not be tolerated. As many as 25 Palestinian Authority schools are named after Palestinian terrorists, including Dalal Mughrabi, who killed 37 Israeli citizens. Will the Secretary of State assure me that no British aid goes towards such schools or to support the glorification of terrorism?”
Peter Bone, MP for Wellingborough, referring to allegations that the Palestinian Authority misuse international aid money, asked: “Does the Secretary of State agree that it would be better if money was put into direct projects rather than through third-party organisations when we cannot really be sure of the outcome?”
Ms Greening responded by drawing attention to a multilateral aid review currently under way “to make sure that improvements in value for money continue progressively over time”.
In a later question regarding youth unemployment in Gaza, Bob Blackman MP emphasised the role of the BDS movement in levels of Palestinian unemployment. He asked Rt Hon Desmond Swayne TD MP: “Does my hon. Friend not agree that the ill-considered, short-sighted campaign for boycotts and disinvestment is actually leading to more unemployment among the Palestinian people?” to which Mr Swayne noted the impact of restrictions on unemployment in Gaza.
Regarding water and sanitation facilities in Gaza, Mr Swayne stated that the level of investment required to address the inadequate conditions “will require a long term-peace process to be viable”.
Though one MP suggested that “lifting the Israeli blockade” would help the situation, Conservative MP, Michael Fabricant contextualised the situation by stating: “surely if [Gazans] did not embrace Hamas and continually fire rockets into Israel, there would not need to be a blockade in the first place”.
