Tuesday, 29 October 2024

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (13:34): I want to draw the chamber’s attention to the steps that Israel has been forced to take to defend itself, and it has every right to defend itself. We have seen in the last few weeks a legitimate response by Israel to Iran’s attacks on and bombing of Israel, targeting military targets, missile sites and missile manufacturing sites in Iran. I think that this is a very important signal to the Iranian regime. Equally, Israel has also got the right to defend itself against the attacks of Hamas and Hezbollah. These attacks by Israel on the terrorist command structure in the Hezbollah organisation, particularly those based in Lebanon, are justified, as is the renewal of attacks by Israel, correctly, in the Hamas-controlled Gaza territory. They have had to return there because in fact Hamas still have up to 100 hostages in custody and it is clear that they have tried to take back parts of this territory. Even the decision by the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, in recent days to declare UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, a terrorist organisation – I think there is justification in this. We saw the terrible steps that were taken by a number of operatives within UNRWA in attacking Israel and supporting the terrorist operations. Israel is a nation – (Time expired)