The Middle East conflict will not be resolved by "wagging fingers", the Foreign Secretary has insisted, as the Government was accused of double standards.

Philip Hammond also told the Commons Israel's decision to takeover 988 acres of land in the West Bank was "provocative", as he called on both sides to resist the temptation to "play to domestic audiences" and instead think of long-term aims.

Israel and the Palestinians both claimed victory following the recent Gaza conflict, which claimed the lives of more than 2,100 Palestinians - mostly civilians - as well as 70 Israelis, all but six soldiers.

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas claimed the UK Government could appear to be "guilty of double standards" when it appeared to issue only harsh words to Israel following land grabs but had taken more dramatic action in response to Russia over Ukraine.

Mr Hammond replied that Ms Lucas was "being a little harsh", adding: "The reality is in the Israel-Palestine conflict, we have a deeply entrenched and largely intractable challenge, which has defeated many, many people who have tried to solve it over many, many years. We have to make progress on this issue.

"But we are not going to make it by wagging fingers - we have to make it by engagement.

"The situation in Ukraine is different - a clear violation of a hitherto, well-observed principle of international law that we do not resolve border disputes in Europe by force of arms.

"The fact Russia has breached that principle has put at risk the whole edifice of European security that has served us so well for many, many years."

Brighton Pavilion MP Ms Lucas had asked: "Do you not still see that from the outside it looks as if the British Government is guilty of double standards because when Israel makes a land grab of this type, yes we have some harsh words but nothing else follows.

"If (Russian President Vladimir Putin) does something in Ukraine we have something that follows in a much more dramatic way. I don't want to see that but I do want to see an end to double standards."

Labour's Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North) asked Mr Hammond to express regret for Britain's "close military relationship with Israel", which he said had helped them to "kill more than 2,000 people in Gaza".

Mr Hammond replied: "Your last allegation is regrettable and completely inaccurate.

"We have looked very carefully at the nature of material and equipment that has been supplied to the Israelis and we are confident that there is very little within what we have supplied that could have in any way be used in equipment that's been deployed during this Gaza operation."

Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander spoke of the difficulty in taking action against Israel - stressing that it might strengthen the narrative that the whole world is against the country and lead to more violence.

Mr Alexander said if Israel believes only the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) can keep it safe and has no international allies it may reinforce the "pattern of destruction and blockade".

Despite being opposed to the "shocking and outrageous" incursion in Gaza that will go on to "define a generation" and "make enemies out of neighbours", Mr Alexander said it was difficult to take action given the local support for hardline prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the uncompromising rhetoric in Israel.

Responding to an intervention from the SDLP's Mark Durkan (Foyle), Mr Alexander said: "The test for me is not can we make headlines but can we make a difference?

"The test of can we make a difference it seems to me is whether the effect of any actions taken here in the United Kingdom or indeed at the European level strengthens those forces of progress within Israeli society or strengthens those forces of reaction?

"I fully understand the depth of feeling many on our own benches feel as to the urgency of finding meaningful ways to influence Israel to adopt an approach that many of us believe to be better suited to Israel's long-term interest.

"But the reality is if we were to take actions which were to strengthen a narrative within Israeli society that somehow the whole world was against them, the only people that they can trust to defend themselves are the IDF, and that they can have no security reliant on international agreements but must instead look only to themselves - then my fear is that far from it actually leading to the progress all of us sincerely want to see we would actually see a further reinforcement of the pattern of destruction and blockade that we have seen over recent years.

"I am concious of the anger, the urgency, the frustration that so many people on all sides of this House feel about making progress.

"But the challenge is what can actually make a difference given the discourse within Israeli society, given the balance of forces within the Knesset, and given the views that have been previously taken by the Israeli government."