§ 5. Mr. Mikardoasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will follow his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria by seeking to pay an early visit to Israel.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweWhen I met Prime Minister Shamir in Brussels on Monday of this week, we agreed that I should visit Israel at the first mutually convenient date.
§ Mr. MikardoWhile thanking the right hon. and learned Gentleman very warmly for that reply, may I ask him whether he will bear in mind in his conversations when he goes to Israel the fact that one of the things most desired as part of the settlement in Lebanon is the evacuation from Lebanon of all foreign forces—Israeli, Syrian, Iranian, Palestinian and all the rest? As there is some interlocking there of Syrian-Israeli relationships, will he see whether he can do something to bridge the manifest gap that exists there?
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweI am grateful for what the hon. Gentleman says. He is, of course, quite right to say that one of the objectives of everyone who is concerned with the future of the Lebanon is the withdrawal of all foreign forces, including Syrian and Israeli alike. If one speaks separately to the Syrian Government or to the Israeli Government, there is a ready endorsement of that principle. The problem is to secure the interlocking of the steps that are necessary to bring it about.
§ Mr. MarlowWill my right hon. and learned Friend condemn the recent bombing of Lebanese citizens by the Israelis, who always claim, of course, that they are bombing Palestinian terrorists, but anyone who follows the progress of Israel will realise that these are propagandist untruths? Will he also say, when he is in Israel, that Her Majesty's Government will not accept the establishment of a quisling force under Israeli domination in southern Lebanon?
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweI am not, I think, ready to endorse precisely the language used by my hon. Friend in the last half of his question, but I emphasise the fact that any moves that escalate the level of violence in the region make the solution of the problem more, not less, difficult.
§ Mr. CartwrightWhen the Foreign Secretary visits Israel, will he seek to persuade the Israeli Government that there cannot be peace in the middle east until the Palestinians are recognised as having the same rights as the Israelis to a free and independent homeland of their own?
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweOne of the central principles of our approach to the problem is to emphasise the need for Palestinian self-determination to be regarded as essential in any negotiated settlement. That is to be placed alongside the point raised by the hon. Gentleman about the entitlement of Israel to a secure existence.
§ Mr. AdleySo long as the United States involves itself with, and commits itself to, Israel, is it not unrealistic to expect the Soviet Union to remain aloof? Because of the failure of United States policy in the Lebanon, is it not 807 essential to involve the Soviet Union in peace talks about the middle east? Will my right hon. and learned Friend please be a little more forthcoming on this issue in view of the fact that hon. and right hon. Members on both sides of the House are trying to put to him the view that the European countries might be in a better position—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The question relates to visits to Israel.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweDespite its length, my hon. Friend's question is well-directed. It is the case that the countries of Europe have a distinctive position and a distinctive contribution to make. We are anxious to see whether a solution can be found along the lines that I have suggested, and we have made it clear, as I have indicated, that this is a subject which it is sensible to discuss with the Soviet Union.
§ Mr. George RobertsonThe Secretary of State is quite right in saying that there can be no resolution of the problem of the middle east without providing security for Israel and self-determination for the Palestinians. In that regard, will he remind himself that there is no longer just one opinion within Israel about how that can be achieved? What is he doing to encourage voices within Israel, other than those of the present Israeli Government, to seek a better and more constructive way to peace?
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweAs the hon. Gentleman points out, more than one view and more than one voice is being heard in Israel today about the way forward. No doubt the process of democratic debate within that country will secure an advance from the present position. But it is not for me to seek to interfere in that process.