Foreign Minister Boris Johnson and his office will take up the case of a Kinross-shire woman said to have been murdered in Israel 12 months ago.
Prime Minister Theresa May made the pledge at Westminster after being challenged to intervene with Israeli authorities.
The case was raised in parliament by SNP MP Hannah Bardell, who represents the Livingston constituency in which Julie Pearson’s family live.
She has been highly critical of perceived Government inaction over the case, which has left them struggling to find answers for themselves.
Julie, 38, was working at a hotel in the Red Sea resort of Eliat in Israel when she died on November 27 last year.
A police investigation into her death remains technically “open” but officials have decided she died of natural causes, despite a pathologist’s report which leaves open the possibility a brutal beating may have played a key role in her death.
Her family believe she was assaulted by a former boyfriend, leading to major internal bleeding that could have claimed her life.
Post-mortem examination revealed major bruising to her face and body, together with signs of restraint, a broken jaw and evidence of a blow to her stomach that could have caused bleeding.
The family has employed a lawyer and is seeking the intervention of the government, with help from Ms Bardell and Julie’s constituency MP, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh.
Julie’s aunt Deborah Pearson, who has been leading the family’s fight, welcomed the Prime Minister’s pledge but remains sceptical about the nature of the UK Government’s involvement in the case.
A similar statement was previously given by former Prime Minister David Cameron but the family has barely heard a word from Israel or from UK authorities.
Ms Bardell said: “We understand that the case is still open and the Israeli police are continuing with their investigation but there seems to be little sense of urgency.
“The former Prime Minister and the FCO have been helpful but there remains questions and issues around how the FCO acted and the support they gave the family. Equally, the way the Israeli police have acted and the lack of information from them continues to be an issue I and the family are pressing on.
“I raised this matter with Theresa May in the hope that she could personally intervene and put further pressure on the Israeli authorities and Government to get answers for the family, I hope she now acts and I shall be writing to her directly to update her and seek her support.”
The MP called for a meeting with the Prime Minister to “understand what further pressure can be brought so that the family can get answers and understand who wrought this terrible crime against their family member”.
The Prime Minister said she understood the obvious deep concern the MP and Ms Pearson’s family to “find out what happened in the terrible tragedy”.
She said the Minister of the Foreign Office was already “actively working on this question” and pledged to ask him to meet with Ms Bardell “to discuss what can be done and what the Foreign Office is doing”.
