Last week I questioned the Minister on the horrific situation at the Gazan border following sickening reports from Gaza that 58 Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured. Israeli forces must be held accountable for this outrageous attack on peaceful protestors. We need an urgent independent UN-led investigation into these grave violations of international law.

This response to Palestinian protests coincides with a shrinking of the space for valid criticism of the Israeli government and its human rights record. When I was in Palestine earlier this year, I met with Human Rights Watch who are now facing deportation from Israel.

The UK has a unique responsibility to support a peace process in the Middle East and must seek to tackle the root causes of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and impress upon Israel the need to end the blockade.