Earlier this week, Martin took part in a Westminster Hall debate on the topic of Government support for Palestinian rights.
The debate was well-subscribed so a time limit of 2 minutes was placed on each MP's speech. Martin was therefore unable to deliver his full speech during the debate; however, the full speech can be read in its entirety below. You can also read the whole debate online here.
Martin's Full Speech:
I acknowledge absolutely the right of Israel to exist as an independent state. I am a friend of Israel, but a critical friend, and they certainly deserve criticism. All across the world, wars and armed conflicts are taking place where there are peoples trying to achieve own independent state, one recognised as such.
Over the generations the powerful nations at any particular time have drawn lines on maps to try and satisfy those demands whilst, it has to be said, also looking after their own interests.
Surely no one with an ounce of humanity can view what is happening in Gaza without feeling sympathy for what the people there are facing. Equally no one should view the events of 7th October other than with horror at the evil attack on innocent Israelis.
We have to recognise that, after that ruthless massacre the Israeli Government had to respond; their citizens understandably demanded that they should, just as, for example, the U.S. responded to the 9/11 attacks on the twin towers. I recognise that but surely the Israelis must realise that their attempts to eliminate HAMAS, even if it could neutralise HAMAS in the immediate future, is radicalising future generations. Children who witness the horrors of their families, friends and neighbours being killed and maimed and their homes destroyed will grow up seeking vengeance.
As part of my research in anticipation of this debate I looked up the debate that took place on 13th October 2014 the House staged a Backbench Business debate on whether or not the UK should recognise Palestine. 39 Conservative members supported recognition including myself and my Right Honourable Freind the Father of the House.
Looking back on some of the contributions to that debate is fascinating and instructive. Our former colleague Sir Malcolm Rifkind held high office including the position of Foreign Secretary between 1995 & 1997. He said that it had fallen to him to commit the UK, for the first time, to the 2-State solution. How many times have we heard that phrase. Are we getting any closer to achieving it? The international community repeat it over and over again. It’s good to have a destination but it is equally important to know the route by which we get there.
Sir Malcolm argued that until Palestine had the fundamental ingredients that a state requires which include a functioning government and military to recognise Palestine at that time would be premature. Surely this is a chicken and egg question. There is little or no chance of a fully democratic election taking place and a functioning government emerging. At the very least we need serious negotiations.
Another former colleague, and former minister, Sir Alan Duncan disagreed and argued in favour of recognition.
I will now turn to the West Bank and the worrying developments that are being reported there.Following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, daily life has also become more dangerous and more difficult for Palestinians in the West Bank. According to a report by Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders, at least 870 Palestinians have been killed and over 7,100 injured between October 2023 and January 2025.
Violence being perpetrated against the Palestinian people, including children, by extremist settlers in the West Bank has reached unprecedented levels since the outbreak of the conflict.
As reported by Amnesty International, 2024 was the worst year for settler violence across the occupied West Bank. I understand that violent settler attacks rose from an average of two a day in 2022 to four a day in 2024. According to data from the UN, between the 7th October 2023 and 31st December 2024, over 1,800 incidents of settler violence have been recorded in the occupied West Bank.
Some examples of this violence include armed settlers assaulting Palestinian farmers, cutting down their trees or setting them on fire. Some of these farmers have been driven off their land and forcibly displaced, all with the implicit approval of authorities.
We all know that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law, in particular Article 49 of Geneva Convention IV. Israel must take concrete steps to address settler violence, provide adequate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, and to hold Israeli extremists to account.
This is not to mention the dire economic situation Palestinians in the West Bank face. For over a year now, Israel has suspended entry to about 140,000 Palestinian workers from the West Bank, leading to unemployment and poverty to rise significantly.
Israel in so many ways is admirable. Its people have shown courage and the way they have contributed so much to scientific and technological advances have enormous benefits but its system of democracy is not working to its advantage. The PR system, inevitably, results in coalition governments and that means there will be extreme elements within it.
I very much hope that the moderate reasonable politicians exert themselves. The Israeli people and those of the whole region deserve to live in peace. We must hope and pray that this can be achieved but after years of conflict the future looks bleak.
