§ 3.8 p.m.
§ Lord Blakerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are their current policies regarding the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
§ The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government condemn unequivocally the most recent suicide bombings, which have resulted in the deaths of 26 Israeli civilians. The loss of life and suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians must end.
The priority is to break the cycle of violence through a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and negotiations based on the vision of two states living side by side within secure and recognised borders. We call for implementation of recent United Nations Security Council resolutions and support an international conference and the renewal of a political process leading to a comprehensive settlement.
§ Lord BlakerMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for that Answer. Does she agree that all noble Lords will wish to express their horror at the terrible tragedies suffered by both sides in recent days and weeks? Is it not becoming clear that the policies of the Israeli Government are not reducing, but rather increasing, the number of suicide bombers? Is not the 882 new Israeli Government policy of occupying land likely to work to the disadvantage of Israel? Finally, is it not clear that it is probable that peace will not come to that area unless and until an American Administration prepared to be firm not only with the Palestinians but with the Israeli Government and the Israeli lobby in the United States?
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanMy Lords, I support entirely what the noble Lord, Lord Blaker, said about our horror at the casualties on both sides. It is the position of Her Majesty's Government that Israel has, of course, the right to security. Unilateral acts, however, do not provide lasting security. The right way forward is to restart a political process, and Her Majesty's Government will remain engaged in all attempts to do so. I agree with the noble Lord that the United States has an important part to play in that and in persuading both sides to engage seriously in the process.
§ Lord Wright of RichmondMy Lords, does the Minister agree that, if the purpose of Mr Sharon's present policies is to improve and protect the security of Israel, they are failing? If his policies are designed to isolate and humiliate President Arafat and undermine the Palestinian Authority, leading to a reoccupation of the West Bank and Gaza, it is all the more urgent that Her Majesty's Government, in co-operation with our European partners and, especially, with the United States Administration, should take steps towards the comprehensive peace settlement to which the Minister referred. That must include the urgent withdrawal of Israeli settlers from the West Bank.
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanMy Lords, the policies of both sides are failing. The use of suicide bombers does nothing to bring peace, nor, sadly, will the Israeli Government's attempts to increase security, without serious engagement in a political process. The United Kingdom Government have been intensively engaged to that end. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister has met President Mubarak, US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, Prime Minister Sharon and Prime Minister Hariri and in recent days has spoken to Crown Prince Abdullah and President Bush. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary has, similarly, been heavily engaged.
We will continue to do everything that we can to take forward the process, despite the appalling events in the region.
§ Lord Clarke of HampsteadMy Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware that the latest suicide bombing was carried out by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, the political wing of Fatah, the organisation controlled by Yasser Arafat? Will my noble friend take into account, when assisting with the so-called peace process, the contradiction between Yasser Arafat's condemnation and the fact that a wing of his movement is carrying out the atrocities?
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanMy Lords, one of the problems is the degree of control that can be 883 exercised in the circumstances. We call on Yasser Arafat to make a 100 per cent effort to prevent terrorist attacks. We do that constantly in all our interchanges with the Palestinian Authority.
I should point out that President Arafat has condemned the bombings this week. He said that attacks on Israeli citizens did not relate in any way to the Palestinians' legitimate right to resist the Israeli occupation. He said that in Arabic, so I hope that there will be no equivocation among his supporters about his condemnation.
§ Lord Howell of GuildfordMy Lords, it is right that Ariel Sharon's policies will not produce any kind of solution and are self-defeating. Does the Minister accept, however—I am sure that she does—that the calculated and targeted suicide bombing of civilian men, women, children and babies is an unqualified evil, with no "ifs" or "buts" attached? Does she welcome, as I do, the statement by 55 leading Palestinian thinkers to that effect? It was welcome, as were the comments of Chairman Arafat to the same effect. Will the Minister give us the Government's view of the new proposal to build a fence and trench through West Bank territory? Is that a plus or a minus?
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanMy Lords, I hope that the noble Lord heard how I began my initial Answer. I said that Her Majesty's Government condemn unequivocally the suicide bombings. The noble Lord is, of course, right to emphasise the point, and Her Majesty's Government welcome all such statements, from whatever side. We hope that, when the statements are made by those on the Arab side, those who are carrying out the atrocities will listen carefully.
I understand that a 110-kilometre stretch of fence is being built along the northern green line, although it may extend further than that. I understand the wish to try to secure the Israeli population, but I fear that fences alone will not achieve that objective. Israel will be secured only by negotiations in which both sides have taken part realistically and sincerely.
§ Lord TurnbergMy Lords, does my noble friend agree that some of' the prime sponsors of terrorism in the West Bank are in Syria and Iran? They use the Palestinians cynically as their means of destroying the state of Israel, their prime purpose, and have little interest in the well-being of the unfortunate Palestinians. Is there anything that our Government can do to bring pressure to bear on those states?
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanMy Lords, without in any way indicating intelligence sources, I can assure your Lordships that, if Her Majesty's Government have reason to believe that such activities are encouraged by states overseas, we make representations to those governments. If we are looking around to find those who are really trying to help the Palestinian people, I would point to the donors of aid. The major contributor has been the European Commission. That aid helps the 884 Palestinians and will be of more importance and benefit to them than encouragement for any form of terrorism.