Israel (Hansard, 10 February 1993)

§ 15. Mr. John Marshall
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will meet the President of Israel when he visits Britain in February to discuss relations between the United Kingdom and Israel.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will call on President Herzog during his visit.

§ Mr. Marshall
Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that peace and mutual understanding in the middle east would be improved if long-standing hostages such as Ron Arad were released? Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that he has been kept incommunicado by 978 Arab captors as a prisoner of war for seven years, against all the rules of the Geneva convention? Will representations be made to secure his immediate freedom?

§ Mr. Hogg
My hon. Friend makes a real point. If Ron Arad is still alive—we thought some two years ago that he was, but we have no up-to-date information—it is extremely important that he be released with all possible speed. The same proposition applies to detainees in south Lebanon. One must acknowledge that the business of holding people without due process of law is intolerable and should stop.

§ Rev. Martin Smyth
When the Secretary of State meets President Herzog will he make clear to him that, as President Herzog was born in Belfast and reared in Dublin, there is tremendous empathy between our nation and Israel? While we are concerned about detentions in Israel and in the Lebanon, does the right hon. and learned Gentleman agree that the standards of justice of Israel's Supreme court are held in high esteem throughout the world?

§ Mr. Hogg
As to the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question, President Herzog is held in the highest esteem in this country, and also in great affection. As to the Supreme court—yes, its reputation is high, but we must acknowledge also that Israel's policies within the occupied territories need to be rigorously criticised because they frequently constitute gross breaches of human rights. I took the opportunity to say that in Geneva yesterday to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.