Speeches by Falconer.

“We have to be clear about who is driving the oppression of Afghan women and girls. The Taliban have put further restrictions on women and girls. They have taken further steps, including restricting the internet, that undermine the viability of Afghanistan’s economy at a fundamental level. But I assure the House that we…”

“My hon. Friend is an incredibly thoughtful, long-standing commentator on these issues. Both he and his family have made a great contribution to UK-Israeli relations. It was an act of great foolishness to prevent him from entering Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We called on the Israeli Government at th…”

“We need to see the agreement implemented in full. The Foreign Secretary has raised this particular case with the Foreign Minister of Israel. We will continue to press for the full flow of aid that needs to go in. The hon. Member rightly asked me what I say to the people of Gaza. I say that we understand the urgency, an…”

“I think I covered the point about sanctions earlier.”

“I have set out some of the steps that we are taking in relation to this strike, including supporting an emergency session of the UN Security Council and having discussions with our allies, including the E3, which the Foreign Secretary will undertake shortly. I would not wish to be drawn further as we discuss this very …”

“I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising the attack in Jerusalem, which I condemn utterly and outright. It was barbaric and, as he says, women and rabbis were killed. The UK has no truck with it and we condemn it outright, just as we condemn all such activities by Hamas, including the taking of hostages, the eve…”

“As I have said, the UK is supporting a motion for a session of the UN Security Council this afternoon. If that motion is granted, the session is expected to take place this evening—our time.”

“I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for her work on a whole range of questions, including current efforts to try to ensure the successful evacuation of vulnerable people from Gaza. It is important that we raise our concerns directly to the Israeli Government, both to contribute to the diplomatic process and to try to secur…”

“I have set out already in this session our condemnation of the strikes, the sanctions taken against extremist figures in the Israeli Government and the other measures we have taken. In relation to action that follows from the strike on Doha, the Foreign Secretary will shortly be in touch with her E3 colleagues, and we …”

“The right hon. Gentleman raises an important question. The strength of our relationship with Qatar on conflict mediation and our own capabilities are an important area of work. I understand deeply how important that is because I was a negotiator in the Foreign Office, as was our National Security Adviser. I have been d…”

“I thank my right hon. Friend for the question. It is vital that at such serious moments that the UN Security Council plays its full part, so I can confirm to her that the UK is supporting calls for an emergency session of the UN Security Council this evening. The Foreign Secretary will be joining calls with her E3 coun…”

“Even in advance of the events yesterday, nations in the region that had taken the step of signing the Abraham accords were signalling disquiet, most obviously and signally the United Arab Emirates, which released an important statement on this question. I will not seek to speak for our Arab allies, but I am sure that t…”

“My hon. Friend has been a persistent advocate on these questions, and I look forward to continuing to answer his questions from the Dispatch Box. He should not, though, be more pessimistic about the prospects of continued mediation and the Qataris themselves, particularly given that they are very much on the closest ed…”

“The Prime Minister will make a determination on the question in advance of the high-level week of the General Assembly. That is not long now. The whole House can see the development of events in the region and, indeed, the language we set out in July. I do not wish to get ahead of the Prime Minister before he makes tha…”

“I am disappointed that my hon. Friend’s constituent did not reserve a cookie for me, but I am grateful for the important question that she asks. For the reasons I set out before, it is important that we continue to engage directly with the Israeli Government, particularly on questions such as the evacuation of vulnerab…”

“I am grateful for the kind words from the right hon. Gentleman, and indeed for those I heard from the Labour Back Benches. I am continuing in my role and look forward to appearing before the House in the usual way. He is right to emphasise not just the important statements from the UK and our western allies, but the im…”

“The hon. Gentleman does make me feel rather seasoned, as I was in Pakistan at that time. As I said earlier, the tests in international law are self-defence and imminence. Not every state agrees on the thresholds for those tests, but it is the expectation of the British Government with all our partners and allies—indeed…”

“The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary then and now have been clear that the Prime Minister will make a determination in advance of the UN General Assembly high-level week, in accordance with the language set out in the statement of July. The right hon. Member makes important points about what the previous Foreig…”

“I would not want to be drawn on a casualty tally from the UK. As I set out in my response, Qatar has been clear about its own assessments and these things tend to develop in the immediate aftermath of a strike, so I will not be drawn on casualties or the number of people struck. Qatar, quite rightly, will release that …”

“The hon. Gentleman says “15%”, when in fact he means 15% of components of the total F-35 supply. The truth about the total supply to Israel is that it is less than 1%.”