Wednesday, August 06, 2008

More of Kim Howells Activities

Kim has declared me persona non grata.

From Parliament:

Israel: Overseas Trade

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has recently had discussions with UK retailers and trade bodies representing companies which source goods from illegal Israeli settlements. [219691]

Dr. Howells: We are concerned that goods from illegal Israeli settlements may be entering the UK under false pretences and without paying the correct customs duties. We take this issue seriously and have alerted HM Revenue and Customs to it so that they can take appropriate action. We have not had direct discussions with retailers or trade bodies.


and

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of continuing Israeli settlement expansion on the EU aim of achieving a sovereign, independent, contiguous and viable Palestinian state. [220234]

Dr. Howells: Settlement expansion has a negative impact on the peace process and the EU's aim of achieving a Palestinian State. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said at his press conference in Bethlehem on 20 July,

“we want to see a freeze on settlements. Settlement expansion has made peace harder to achieve. It erodes trust, it heightens Palestinian suffering, it makes the compromises Israel will need to make for peace more difficult. So we are very clear—not just Britain but the whole of the EU- what should be done”.


===================

And by the by, notice how a non-governmental Arab group got to supply 'evidence' on the question of Jewish residency in its national homeland whereas I'm persona non grata (here).

No comments: