The Secretary of State for will host an online constituency meeting on Gaza after a request for an in-person meeting was turned down to "ensure the safety of all involved".
Douglas Alexander, the Labour MP for Lothian East, had been asked by constituents to hold an in-person public meeting in the area he represents over the UK Government's ongoing support for Israel, and why he rejected calls for an end to trade with the country.
In a debate in the House of Commons on June 5, while he was still trade minister, Mr Alexander was asked about arms exports to the country "potentially breaching international law and facilitating a genocide".
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Fellow Labour MP Steve Withenden said: "The Foreign Secretary’s recent condemnation of Israel’s actions as “monstrous” was welcome but incomplete, because the very same Government continue to facilitate such actions. We cannot have it both ways.
"We cannot condemn atrocity while simultaneously fuelling the machinery that enables it. We cannot claim to uphold international law while profiting from its breach."
Mr Alexander replied "based on our current assessment of potential breaches of international humanitarian law, we are not licensing military equipment provided directly to the IDF that could be used for military operations in Gaza".
On June 12 he was asked by Ellie Chowns of the Greens permits the import of goods which come from illegal West Bank settlements, which he described as a "significant and contentious enough issue" but did not say he supported a ban.
In response to the ongoing situation, constituents of Mr Alexander called for a public meeting to ask "why he is not fulfilling his obligation to them by reflecting their views in Parliament".
A paper petition was circulated at a meeting in Haddington on August 30, attracting more than 100 signatures, with a further 20 signing on at a subsequent event in North Berwick.
After no response was received an online petition was created, attracting over 40 verified signatures from East Lothian constituents over voting age.
Organisers said: "A public meeting will give Mr Alexander an opportunity to explain why he believes that his stance on Gaza, and that of the UK government, best serves the interests of his constituents and is in compliance with international humanitarian law."
While Mr Alexander has agreed to a meeting, it will be held online on November 7 "following advice from the police and parliamentary security, in order to ensure the safety of all involved and also to help maximise opportunities to participate".
Constituents are instructed to send their name, address, contact number and email address to the MPs parliamentary email address, after which they will receive a Microsoft Teams invite.
The petition organisers said: "A request for a hybrid meeting – a face to face meeting, with live online access for those unable to attend in person - was also turned down.
"Potential suitable convenors for the meeting were suggested with a range of different skills and backgrounds, including experience of running online and in-person local parliamentary hustings, but Mr Alexander plans to convene the meeting himself. His office has said that he 'will ensure that [the meeting] is run in a way that allows him to hear directly from as many of the constituents in attendance at the meeting as possible'.
"I hope that as many Lothian East constituents as possible who are concerned about Gaza and the West Bank will attend this meeting to take advantage of the opportunity for a dialogue with Mr Alexander, who as a minister for over a year, is in a position to answer their questions on the UK Government’s stance on these issues."
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