House of Commons · Urgent Question
10 September 2025 · 38 other contributors
Opened by Calum Miller LD Bicester and Woodstock
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Calum Miller raised concerns about qatar israeli strike 2025-09-10 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Will the Minister confirm the implications of Israel’s recent strike in Qatar for peace and stability in the Middle East and UK foreign policy? The urgent question highlights the grave concern over Israel's actions that undermine regional efforts towards a ceasefire and threaten diplomatic relations, particularly given the critical role Qatar plays in mediating the conflict.
Question
Will the Minister confirm whether any UK entity was informed of Israel's attack in advance? Will he ensure that Prime Minister Netanyahu is condemned for breaching international law, and will the UK take steps to end F-35 parts export to Israel?
Minister reply
As per usual practice, I will not comment on sanctions. The Prime Minister’s meeting with President Herzog will condemn yesterday's attack as a flagrant breach of international law. Regarding exports, no specific mention of ending F-35 part export was made.
Question
How can the UK ensure Qatar’s efforts for peace are not undermined by Israel's actions? What steps will be taken to convey such a message to President Herzog?
Minister reply
The UK supports calls for an emergency UN Security Council session. The Foreign Secretary is joining E3 counterparts and discussing this matter with G7 allies, including the United States.
Question
How will the FCDO take proactive steps to stabilise efforts for hostage release and ceasefire negotiations? What actions are being taken against Hamas's capabilities?
Minister reply
The Government are committed to ensuring successful negotiations with Gulf and G7 partners, including immediate hostage release and humanitarian aid access. We also continue to address Iran’s nuclear threat.
Question
Why is the UK meeting President Herzog today when Israel shows disregard for international law?
Minister reply
It is important to raise concerns directly with Israeli Government to contribute to diplomatic efforts and secure practical help for evacuating vulnerable people from Gaza.
Question
Will the Minister commit to building on the peace process work done by regional partners like Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia?
Minister reply
The UK will continue to support efforts towards a political process and ceasefire as part of its diplomatic engagement with these countries.
Question
What military and intelligence assistance will we provide to the Qataris? Will we support calls for an international protection force in Gaza?
Minister reply
We are committed to Qatar's security and defence. We support a motion for an urgent session of the UN Security Council this afternoon, but we cannot pretend that a protective force can impose peace where there is none.
Question
Does my hon. Friend agree that international law and the preservation of the rules-based system are vital? Will he make it clear to Israel that we expect it to obey international law?
Minister reply
We do expect Israel, alongside all states, to abide by international law. We condemn the attack on Qatar under article 51 of the UN charter.
Question
Will the UK Government lay down a motion at the UN to condemn Israel's actions?
Minister reply
The UK is supporting a motion for an emergency session of the UN Security Council this afternoon. If granted, it is expected to take place this evening—our time.
Question
How many more war crimes or violations of international law are necessary before the Government impose sanctions on Israel?
Minister reply
I think I covered the point about sanctions earlier. The UK has suspended arms sales and imposed sanctions on extremist figures in the Israeli government.
Question
Does the Minister agree that it is essential to have a ceasefire without conditions, and for Hamas to demilitarise Gaza?
Minister reply
I condemn utterly the attack in Jerusalem. The UK has no truck with such activities by Hamas. We support peace talks while Qatar continues its mediation role.
Question
When will the Government uphold international law and call out Netanyahu as a warmonger, end arms sales to Israel, and impose sanctions?
Minister reply
The Prime Minister has set out steps regarding suspended arms sales and sanctions. We are supporting an emergency session of the UN Security Council.
Question
What exactly will be the consequences for Israel for this attack on Qatar?
Minister reply
We are discussing this incident with our allies. The conflict in Gaza is not primarily related to UK arms sales, which are suspended.
Question
What assessment have officials made of the case for a UN session and civilian casualties? If we go to the UN, what will be our case?
Minister reply
Qatar has been clear about its own assessments. We would expect Israel to satisfy international law tests against self-defence and imminence.
Question
Will the Minister look at our conflict resolution unit's resources and double down on how we are working with the Qataris?
Minister reply
The strength of our relationship with Qatar is important. We hope to have further discussions soon, but they have been delayed by regional events.
Question
At what point does the UK draw a line in the sand and call out this Israeli Government for being a danger to peace?
Minister reply
The UK will continue to uphold international law and condemn violations of it.
Question
We have a situation in which one of our allies has unlawfully attacked another of our allies. Given that we are rightly standing with the Qataris, is it not time we recognised that because of their actions in Doha and their continuous starvation and murder of innocent civilians in Gaza, this right-wing Israeli Government and this extreme right-wing Israeli Prime Minister are no longer allies of ours?
Minister reply
I thank my hon. Friend for his kind words about my reappointment. I recognise the force of what he has said about Israeli politics; it is not appropriate for one Foreign Minister to comment on the internal politics of another country, but from the sanctions I announced from this Dispatch Box in June, the House can see the strength of this Government’s feeling about—for example—the rhetoric of Mr Smotrich and that of Mr Ben-Gvir. It has been deeply disheartening to see that rhetoric repeated over the course of the summer, but where we can, we demonstrate in the strongest possible way the strength of our feeling on these questions.
Question
Following yesterday’s events, Trump and the American Administration appear to be as annoyed with Israel as the rest of the world are, so is it now time to call Israel’s bluff through the United Nations? Is it not time to seek the engagement of blue helmets or some similar force, to enable us to say, “We, as an international community, have people on the ground. Don’t you dare fire into that area. Let us now trigger peace talks.” Without that catalyst, those two extremes will just continue, along with the performative merry-go-round of “Here we go again”, condemnation, and another statement or urgent question.
Minister reply
The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right about the risks in Gaza—we have seen that rubble grow. The British Government would support international forces going into Gaza with the agreement of the parties. In response to the right hon. Member for North West Hampshire (Kit Malthouse), I spoke about my own experience of the limitations on peacekeeping forces where there is no peace to enforce. We are depressingly clear-eyed about the continuing intent on both sides to continue conducting violence, exactly as the right hon. Gentleman has described.
Question
What is the Government’s legal position regarding international law in relation to Israel's actions?
Minister reply
I set out the position in relation to President Herzog’s visit just a minute ago. I am not familiar with the Israeli politician in question, but I can say that the UK considers international law to be binding on all states.
Question
How does the Minister justify the genocidal comments of President Herzog? These individuals must be held accountable. What we are seeing is not diplomacy—it is shameful complicity.
Minister reply
I set out the position in relation to President Herzog’s visit just a minute ago. I am not familiar with the Israeli politician in question, but I can say that the UK considers international law to be binding on all states.
Question
On 1 September, the then Foreign Secretary said that he proposed to recognise a Palestinian state, but that Hamas would not benefit from it because they would have to be disarmed. Does that mean that Hamas must be disarmed before recognition, or will recognition go ahead?
Minister reply
The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary then and now have been clear that the Prime Minister will make a determination in advance of the UN General Assembly high-level week, in accordance with the language set out in the statement of July. The right hon. Member makes important points about what the previous Foreign Secretary said about Hamas.
Question
What can we do to ensure that the pursuit of peace is more than just lip service for the Netanyahu Government?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend has been a persistent advocate on these questions, and I look forward to continuing to answer his questions from the Dispatch Box. He should not, though, be more pessimistic about the prospects of continued mediation and the Qataris themselves, particularly given that they are very much on the closest edge to this issue.
Question
Given that repeated crossing of new red lines, what action will he match his condemnation with? Will he stop all arms sales, all military co-operation, all intelligence-sharing and all defence deals, current and future, with Israel?
Minister reply
I have set out already in this session our condemnation of the strikes, the sanctions taken against extremist figures in the Israeli Government and the other measures we have taken. In relation to action that follows from the strike on Doha, the Foreign Secretary will shortly be in touch with her E3 colleagues, and we hope that there will be a Security Council session this evening.
Question
What impact do you think this attack has had on regional partners who have invested in rapprochement with Israel, such as Morocco?
Minister reply
Nations that signed the Abraham accords are signalling disquiet. The right hon. Gentleman will see statements from the region over the last 24 hours indicating concern.
Question
Given the current situation, will you urge the Foreign Secretary to speak with allies and find out what more can be done to put pressure on Israel?
Minister reply
I confirm that the Foreign Secretary is in consultations with friends and allies about further steps we might take.
Question
Can you reassure constituents that the Government are doing all they can to prevent this situation from breaking down peace efforts completely?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman’s young constituents are right, and I can assure them that we are doing everything we can to ensure mediation continues, progress towards a ceasefire is made, and aid gets into Gaza.
Question
Does the UK recognise Israel as a rogue state given its actions in Gaza and Jerusalem?
Minister reply
There are deep concerns about events. The attack on Qatar violates its sovereignty, and we will continue to keep all measures under review.
Question
Is the elimination of terrorists who have been organising acts of terror from Qatar an advance in the peace process?
Minister reply
We condemn the strike, which violates Qatar’s sovereignty. We will await the facts and Qatari investigation into the incident.
Question
What security information is shared with Israel from UK sources, especially considering their recent actions in Gaza?
Minister reply
For reasons the House understands, I will not give a lengthy commentary on security and intelligence matters. We do not provide any information to aid targeting strikes in Gaza.
Question
Is there a risk that we are holding Israel to a different standard compared to the USA when it comes to acts of self-defence?
Minister reply
The tests in international law for self-defence and imminence must be demonstrated by all states, regardless of who they are.
Question
Has Israel failed to meet the conditions set out before the UN General Assembly that would lead to UK recognition of a state of Palestine?
Minister reply
The Prime Minister will make a determination in advance of the high-level week of the General Assembly, which is not long now.
Question
Do you agree that further sanctions on Israel’s leadership are necessary to address the famine and killing in Gaza?
Minister reply
The circumstances of the famine in Gaza, caused by Israeli restrictions, are horrifying. We stand by IPC judgments despite methodological concerns raised by the Israeli government.
Question
Does immediate recognition of a state of Palestine as punishment for illegal actions qualify as an effective measure towards a ceasefire?
Minister reply
Recognition is unlikely to bring immediate improvement in the humanitarian situation, but it reflects our long-standing commitment to a two-state solution.
Question
In respect of sanctions, can the Minister confirm that the position remains the same following the change of guard, and that he will make sure it is followed through?
Minister reply
I can confirm that the British Government’s position remains as set out by the then Foreign Secretary last week.
Question
Is the Minister not concerned that the British Government’s continued support for a rogue state perpetrating repeated violations of international law will lead to Israel invading other countries, undermining the UK’s security and credibility on the world stage?
Minister reply
I have set out our position in relation to a whole range of Israeli Government actions with which we disagree, so I am not sure I would characterise our position in the way that the hon. Gentleman did.
Question
Can the Minister confirm whether the Attorney General will publish any advice that he or the Government have received on whether there have been breaches of international law during the conflict in Gaza?
Minister reply
That is more properly a question for the Attorney General. I think there has been some correspondence between him and his shadow, but I will revert to the Attorney General’s latest position on that question.
Question
Will it happen again, and what will this Government do, beyond saying empty words? When will we completely stop every single arms sale to Israel, impose economic, political and social sanctions, and use all our power to get desperately needed aid into Gaza?
Minister reply
I think I have answered questions on arms and sanctions already in this session. We have condemned these strikes, and we do not want to see them again. We are discussing these matters with our allies, including, we hope, at the UN Security Council this evening.
Question
Does the Minister acknowledge that the UK must share pertinent intelligence with Israel to ensure that targeted attacks take place, so that Israel can cut the head off the Hamas snake? Then, and only then, can there be peace for Israel and Gaza, the Hamas threat having been targeted and eradicated effectively.
Minister reply
I thank the hon. Member for his kind words. I have set out clearly our absolute opposition to Hamas on a whole range of questions, but I have also set out our understanding of international law, why we condemn these strikes, and why we do not want to see them repeated.
Government Response
The UK Government are deeply concerned by Israel’s strike in Doha yesterday. The Prime Minister has condemned these violations of Qatar's sovereignty and spoken to the Emir of Qatar to express solidarity and support for regional stability. The Government continue to push for an immediate ceasefire, hostage release, civilian protection, and humanitarian aid access through diplomatic channels with partners like the UN Security Council.