Birmingham MP Richard Burden has led criticism of the British government’s refusal to back an inquiry into Israel’s killing of Palestinian protestors.

The United Nations voted to send an “independent, international commission of inquiry” to investigate the deaths of 60 Palestinians who were shot in Gaza by Israeli forces.

But the United Kingdom abstained on the vote. The United States and Australia voted against.

The resolution also condemned “the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian civilians”.

Mr Burden (Lab Northfield) asked an “urgent question” in Parliament about the decision. It meant Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt was summoned to the House of Commons to answer.

Mr Burden said: “The Government’s feeble response to last week’s events in Gaza only encourages the culture of impunity that the Goverment of Israel too regularly displays these days, apparently believing that whatever it does, it will never be held accountable.”

Mr Burt said the UK could not support the inquiry proposed at the UN because it would not have considered the role played by Hamas, the Palestinian group that helped organise the protest.

He told MPs: “The substance of the resolution was not impartial and it was unbalanced.”

However, he said the UK continued to support a full inquiry.

Some Birmingham MPs have urged the Government to recognise the state of Palestine.

Liam Byrne, the Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill, said the deceleration should be made on the day that US President Donald Trump makes his planned visit to the UK, on July 13.

Shabana Mahmood, Labour MP for Ladywood, said the actions of the Israeli military were “indefensible on any level”.

Palestinian protesters run for cover from teargas fired by Israeli troops near the border fence, east of Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip, Tuesday, May 15, 2018.

She urged the Government “to formally and immediately recognise the state of Palestine”, saying: “It may not change the reality on the ground but it would send a message.”

The UK Government’s policy is to support the creation of an independent Palestinian state next to Israel. This is sometimes called a “two state solution”.

At the moment, a Palestinian government, known as the Palestinian administration, has some control over an area called the West Bank

But Israel is blocking the creation of an independent Palestinian state because it continues to occupy or control much of the West Bank and an area called the Gaza Strip, which would also be part of any future Palestinian country.