High Peak Liberal Democrat PPC answers questions from Palestine Solidarity Campaign

High Peak Liberal Democrat PPC Stephen Worrall has recently recieved a number of emails from constituents via the Palestine Solidarity Campaign asking his views on 7 questions important to them.

Stephen commented "These issues are evidently ones that concern a large number of people in the High Peak and so that as many High Peak residents as possible can know my views on them I have decided to share my answers to these 7 questions more widely".

The 7 questions asked by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign are shown below, along with Stephen's answers in bold. Please note that Stephen was requested to answer "Yes", "No" or "Don't Know" to each question, and was asked to elaborate if he answered "Don't Know".

Indicate if you agree with the following statements

1. I urge the UK Government to uphold the principles of equality, human rights and international law in all its relations and dealings with Israel.

Yes

2. I consider the construction of Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to be illegal and unjustifiable.

Yes

In achieving these principles, what are your views on the following steps that a future UK Government could take:

3. Do you agree that one of the first acts of the next UK Government should be the recognition of Palestine?

Yes

4. Do you agree that the blockade on Gaza should be lifted immediately?

Don't know. I believe that the blockade should be lifted immediately as the impact upon the innocent civilian population of Gaza of the blockade is intolerable. However I feel some limited "blockade" to address Israel's legitimate security concerns of Hamas's access to weapons is warranted. A "blockade" that only prevented the movement of weapons would I believe be the correct answer however I acknowledge that this could be very difficult to implement.

5. Do you agree that we should stop trade with Israel's settlements on Palestinian land, and stop settlement goods being sold in Britain?

Don't know. In principle I feel this could be a way to discourage illegal settlement, however I feel in practice it could be almost impossible to enforce and I am not sure that directly targeting the settlers rather than the Israeli Government is the best way to go about achieving change.

6. Do you agree that the EU Israel Association Agreement should be suspended until Israel meets its human rights obligations?

Don't know. In principle I feel this may be a way to persuade Israel to meet its human rights obligations however I feel that this unfairly targets large swathes of the Israeli population who are not at fault for their governments policies.

7. Do you agree that the government should stop supplying arms to Israel until it complies with international law?

Don't know. In principle I feel this could persuade Israel to comply more with international law, however in practice I have concerns that we would be unfairlylimiting Israel's legitimate right to defend itself, which as we are all aware has been required in the past. Additionally just the UK no longer supplying arms to Israel would not have an effect if others continued to supply them.