To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he raised the issues of (a) the Israeli Government’s approval of new housing units at the illegal settlements of Ofra and Karnei Shomron and (b) the commitment made by the UK and other EU member states at the Foreign Affairs Council on 14 December 2013 to monitor settlement expansion and its broader implications, and act accordingly with the Israeli Foreign Minister on 7 January 2014.

On 10 January I issued a press statement expressing deep concern over Israel’s decision to announce further settlement building in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The UK reiterates our opposition to Israeli settlements to the Israeli Government at every opportunity.

On 16 December, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), along with 27 Foreign Ministers of the member states of the EU, unanimously warned against actions that undermine the current negotiations and deplored Israel’s continuous expansion of settlements.