Lord Howell of Guildford (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Conservative)
I have realised that the Written Answer given to Lord Hylton on 9 July 2012 (Official Report, col. WA213) contained incorrect information. The answer addressed the problems faced by the Bedouin community in the Negev region and not those specific to the Jahalin tribe currently living in the West Bank. The correct information is given in the answer below.
We have made representations to the Israeli Government about plans to forcibly relocate the Bedouin Jahalin community of Khan Al-Ahmar in the West Bank. In a letter to the British ambassador to Israel on 23 April, the Deputy Israeli Foreign Minister committed to a process of dialogue with the Bedouin on Israeli plans to move the community, which he said were at an early stage. We will continue to call on the Israeli authorities to fulfil this commitment and ensure that any decision reached on the future of the Bedouin communities in Area C of the West Bank is made with their full consent. We have not specifically raised the possible wish of members of the Jahalin community to return to the Negev.
