HL Deb 21 July 1980 vol 412 cc1-4
Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what conclusions were reached by the United Nations Security Council on the future of Jerusalem.

The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (Lord Carrington)

My Lords, Security Council Resolution 476, passed on 30th June, reaffirmed that no unilateral action should, or can, change the status of Jerusalem, and called for Israel to rescind all such unilateral actions. We voted in favour of the resolution, in line with the position that successive British Governments have taken on Jerusalem.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, while welcoming that Answer, may I ask whether the Minister is aware that many of us who are deeply concerned about the security of Israel are fearful that, unless the Jerusalem problem is solved, there may be another war in the Middle East, with disastrous world consequences? Can the Minister say whether the Government support the authoritative proposal of my noble friend Lord Caradon that there should be Jewish and Arab regions in Jerusalem, with a joint co-ordinating council?

Lord CARRINGTON

My Lords, I think that the Government are only too well aware of what the noble Lord said in the first part of his supplementary question. The Government's position is that there can be no unilateral solution to the problem of Jerusalem, and of course we should be prepared to look at any solution which met with the approval of the parties.

Lord JANNER

My Lords, when considering this problem, may I ask the noble Lord whether he will once again refer to Psalm 122 and verses 4 and 5 of Psalm 137, from which he will realise why the Jewish people in the world consider Jerusalem as Israel's capital? Will the noble Lord also consider the fact that for 1,000 years Jerusalem was open to all religions, and that people were allowed to worship in accordance with their own religion in the Temple, of all places? Thirdly, will he bear in mind the kind of thing that happened when Jordan took over—about which very few people, including our Government, said anything —when they desecrated 52 synagogues and used many as latrines? Does not the noble Lord consider that in those circumstances Israel is justified in wanting its capital to remain?

Lord CARRINGTON

My Lords, I believe that all of us know the feelings that the Jewish people and the Israeli people have about Jerusalem. The view of Her Majesty's Government is that, if we are to find a solution to the Middle East problem —the Arab-Israel conflict—it is necessary that there should be agreement about the future of Jerusalem, not just by the Israelis, but also by the Arabs. All of us hope that such an agreement is possible, and that it can be arrived at in friendship.

The Lord Bishop of SOUTHWARK

My Lords, are Her Majesty's Government aware that there are those of us on this Bench who hope that the Israelis, in regard to the claims of the Arabs, will be as sensitive as many of us have been to the Israelis in times gone by? Are Her Majesty's Government aware that for that reason many of us on this Bench are wholeheartedly in support of their effort to bring about a reconciliation which will give a just settlement to both peoples?

Lord CARRINGTON

My Lords, I am most grateful to the right reverend Prelate, since he expresses quite clearly what is the object of Government policy. It is not to take sides with one or the other; it is to bring about reconciliation.

Lord GORON WY-ROBERTS

My Lords, may I support what the right reverend Prelate said and indeed welcome the tone and content of what the Foreign Secretary said? Is the noble Lord aware that this problem cannot be solved by unilateral action, whether it be political or otherwise, but can respond only to reconciliation, concession and co-operation by all those concerned?

Lord CARRINGTON

My Lords, the noble Lord opposite expresses exactly what I was trying to say to his noble friend behind him.

Lord HYLTON

My Lords, can my noble friend say whether the Government are taking steps to bring about some kind of international control of the old city of Jerusalem, and perhaps of East Jerusalem, too?

Lord CARRINGTON

My Lords, my noble friend will have seen the declaration issued by the Community at Venice some weeks ago. The purpose of that declaration was to start a series of contacts with the parties concerned to see what common ground there was and to explore the question of whether negotiation was possible. Obviously in that context the problem of Jerusalem will come up.

The LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL (Lord Soames)

My Lords, I think that, if there is a broad measure of agreement in the House, perhaps we should move on to the next Question.

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