Minister for the Middle East, Rt. Hon. Alistair Burt MP, has underlined the Government’s “grave concerns” over the recent increase in violence against Israelis, emphasising that “continued incitement against Israel by Hamas and other actors is unacceptable”.
The Middle East Minister’s remarks came in response to a written question by CFI Officer Paul Masterton MP, who had asked the Minister to assess the “effect on the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution” of the recent increase in attacks.
Minister Burt responded: “We are gravely concerned by the ongoing and increasing violence in the West Bank. We condemn the recent terrorist attacks in the Old City of Jerusalem and in the West Bank. Continued incitement against Israel by Hamas and other actors is unacceptable”.
He added that “the Government is committed to making progress towards a two-state solution, and we will continue to press the parties to refrain from actions that make peace more difficult”.
The Minister reiterated his concerns in response to a written question from CFI Parliamentary Chairman (Commons) Rt. Hon. Stephen Crabb MP, stating that the Government is “deeply concerned by continued incitement against Israel by Hamas and other actors”.
He emphasised: “We are clear the glorification of terrorists as ‘martyrs’ is a barrier to peace and we condemn such glorifications”.
In his question, Mr Crabb had raised the issue of Hamas “announcing great pride in a terrorist whose shooting of a pregnant woman led to the death of her child”, and denounced “other recent examples of the culture of radicalisation in Palestinian society”.
70 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed and over 1057 injured in more than 480 stabbing, shooting and car-ramming attacks since September 2015. Israel states that these attacks are the direct result of incitement by Islamist and terrorist elements who call on Palestinian youths to carry out acts of violence against Jews.
Over 800 rockets have been fired by terrorist groups in Gaza towards Israel in 2018.
