Michael Crockart (Edinburgh West, Liberal Democrat)
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has made to the Israeli government on the restrictions in permitted fishing off the coast of Gaza and the effect on the Gazan people's ability to feed themselves.
Alan Duncan (Minister of State, International Development; Rutland and Melton, Conservative)
The UK regularly makes representations at both ministerial and official level to the Government of Israel on the urgent need to ease restrictions on Gaza. Most recently, the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend Mr Mitchell, and the Minister for the Middle East, my hon. Friend Alistair Burt, discussed these issues during visits to the region in December 2011 and January 2012.
As part of our engagement with the Israeli authorities, we frequently emphasise the impact restrictions have had on industry in Gaza. Alongside our EU colleagues, we have urged Israel to extend the fishing zone from three to twenty nautical miles, as stipulated in the Oslo Accords. We continue to express our deep concern that in Gaza, which should have a thriving economy, over 50% of the population are food insecure.
