PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
International law and trade with illegal Israeli settlements (26 February 2020)

That this House recognises the publication of the UN’s database of companies operating in Israeli settlements; acknowledges that all Israeli settlements are illegal and that the transfer of a civilian population to an occupied territory is a war crime under international law; notes that complicity in war crimes is a serious criminal offence; reaffirms the Government’s obligation to uphold international law, and the corporate responsibility of companies to respect human rights, as outlined in the UN Guiding Principles; is alarmed that UK businesses are listed in the UN database, while also recognising that the database itself is not exhaustive of all companies supporting illegal settlement infrastructure; welcomes the report of Amnesty International highlighting that companies cannot do business in or with settlements without contributing to violations of international humanitarian and human rights law; and calls on the Government to fulfil its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention, relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and under customary international humanitarian law, by banning UK trade with illegal settlements and making binding regulations for companies to uphold human rights standards.

Sponsored by:
Andy Slaughter (Labour)