§ Mr. Tony Marlow (Northampton, North)I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely,
intervention in the Lebanon".Forty years ago German Nazis sought to annihilate the Jewish people. Today, some Jewish Nazis are seeking to annihilate the Palestinian people. Forty years ago, to its eternal shame, the world turned its back on the horrors of the gas chambers. It must not similarly avert its gaze from the mutilations of the cluster bomb. The present action—the specific and important matter—is best described from Jewish mouths. Dr. Nahum Goldman, the former president of the World Jewish Congress, said:The apparent aim is to liquidate the Palestinian people".Yesterday, the Israeli General Yariv said:No one who can bring us harm in the future will escape.As we know, that means any Palestinian until a Palestinian State is established.An Israeli soldier said:
I would like to see all the Palestinians dead because they are a sickness wherever they go … The death of one Israeli soldier is more important than the death of even several hundred Palestinians … Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the Palestinians all dead and helping to do it.He will be satisfied with 14,000 dead, mostly women and children.Western journalists and Western humanitarian aid are prevented from arriving in the Lebanon. The matter is urgent, Mr. Speaker, because Tyre, Sidon and Damour are already obliterated and West Beirut is currently threatened. A total of 6,000 prisoners have been taken and treated in complete disregard of the Geneva convention. Human beings have been hung in nets from helicopters. Young men with their wrists tied behind their backs are chained together and crosses painted on their backs before being dispatched to concentration camps in Israel. Doctors and medical staff are rounded up while wounded children cry out for help. Young boys are savagely beaten to death with rubber hoses.
Surely the time has come for the civilised world, not least Britain and her European partners, to intervene by whatever means necessary to prevent this genocide. I believe that the House must discuss urgently how we can bring pressure to bear and act to stop further horrific action.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) gave me notice before 12 noon today that he might seek to make an application under Standing Order No. 9 to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely,
intervention in the Lebanon".As the House knows, under Standing Order No. 9 I am directed to take into account the several factors set out in the Order but to give no reason for my decision.I have listened carefully to the hon. Gentleman, but I have to rule that his submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order and, therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.