Israel (Hansard, 10 February 1993)

§ 6. Mr. Watson
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure that the Government of Israel complies with United Nations resolution 799.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We have repeatedly urged the Israelis to comply with United Nations Security Council resolution 799, most recently in a meeting berween Euopean Community Foreign Ministers and the Israeli Foreign Minister in Brussels on 1 February. The Israeli Government have now taken a helpful step in the right direction. We hope that they will build on this. We are urging all concerned that the top priority is to resume the peace process.

§ Mr. Watson
In answer to an earlier question today, the Foreign Secretary said that different measures had been adopted by the United Nations in respect of resolutions on Iraq and on Israel, as indeed they have: the resolutions in respect of Iraq were speedily enforced, but those in respect of Israel have never been enforced. It is now eight weeks since resolution 799 was adopted unanimously, demand-ing that all the deportees be returned to their homes as quickly as possible. The Foreign Secretary and his Ministers must be aware of Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali's report to the United Nations Security Council last month on the enforcement of resolution 799, which finished with a strong recommendation that whatever—

§ Madam Speaker
Order. I must have a question from the hon. Gentleman.

§ Mr. Watson
I am coming to it, Madam Speaker. The point is—

§ Madam Speaker
Order. The hon. Gentleman must ask a question now.

§ Mr. Watson
My point relates to the Secretary-General's report—

§ Madam Speaker
Order. It is Question Time. I insist on a question being put. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman can ask his question.

§ Mr. Watson
Will the Foreign Secretary and his Ministers ensure that the Secretary-General's report of last month, which demanded that the deportees be returned home as soon as possible and that whatever measures are necessary should be taken immediately, is endorsed and that fellow members of the Security Council are encouraged to ensure that that happens as speedily as possible?

§ Mr. Hogg
As my right hon. Friend made plain, we regard the deportation of 450 people as a gross breach of the fourth Geneva convention and a gross infringement of human rights, and that is why we support resolution 799. As my right hon. Friend described, the Israelis have taken a welcome step forward, but it is only a step forward. We expect them to comply with resolution 799 and we shall do our best to induce that to happen.

§ Mr. Bowis
Does my right hon. and learned Friend accept that there is no justification in international law or international morality for Israel to deport people from the land that it occupies to a third country? Does he accept that it is not the first time that that has happened but just the most dramatic example? Will he ensure that this country and the world community keep the pressure on Israel to come back into the community of nations, by ceasing that practice and restoring every last one of those people to their homeland?

§ Mr. Hogg
My hon. Friend makes a good deal of sense. As I said in reply to the previous question, there is no doubt that the deportation was a gross violation of human rights. It was unlawful and we have criticised it in many ways, including resolution 799. As my hon. Friend has said, this is not the first example of such a violation and our view is that deportation must stop and that Israel must comply with resolution 799, which we supported.

§ Mr. Galloway
Since I have just returned from the area, will the Minister accept from me that people in the occupied territories are in the depths of despair about the failure of the powers to do anything about making Israel implement resolution 799? The fine words that he has spoken today are all very well, but when will the Governments and powers do something about it? Is the Minister aware how isolated and vulnerable the Palestinian negotiators in the territories are, as they have asked their people to put faith in the peace process and international diplomacy? Lastly, the Secretary of State said a few weeks ago that he would not meet the Palestine Liberation Organisation because he was not convinced of the usefulness of so doing. Is he aware how useful it is to the forces of extremism and reaction in the Palestinian arena that he does not do so?

§ Mr. Hogg
I am trying to pick up the central theme of the hon. Member's multi-headed question. I agree that the Israelis' actions in deporting the deportees did a grave disservice to the peace process in the middle east and encouraged the forces of extremism. For that reason and for many others, we very much hope that the Israelis will rapidly comply with resolution 799.