I would like to assure you that the UK Government does not support the singling out of Israel, nor the politicisation of UN institutions by the Palestinians. Britain is a true friend and ally of Israel and I am proud of the role that Britain played in creating a homeland for the Jewish people. Israel is an amazing example to the rest of the world for overcoming adversity and defying disadvantages. It is a thriving democracy and a beacon of tolerance and I am pleased that the UK is Israel's second largest trading partner.
UK Government policy remains clear, however, that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law, an obstacle to peace and make a two-state solution, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, harder to achieve and that is why the UK supported this resolution at the UN on 23 December.
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