Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the continued ban on Gaza Strip exports to the West Bank, Israel and abroad.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

While there is not a ban on Gazan exports to the West Bank, Israel and abroad, Israeli restrictions on Gazan exports of many goods remain. The UN has reported that there was a sharp increase in exports and transfers from Gaza during 2015. According to the UN, in January 2016, 288 truckloads of goods were permitted to leave Gaza for the West Bank, Israel and international markets. This is the largest figure in a single month since the imposition of movement and access restrictions in 2007. We welcome the steps that Israel has taken to ease some restrictions. However, we want to see Israel go much further. We have frequent discussions with the Government of Israel about the need to ease restrictions on Gaza. We continue to press for an end to movement and access restrictions in and out of Gaza, and for urgent measures to relieve the humanitarian suffering of those in Gaza.