HL Deb 22 January 2004 vol 657 cc1144-6

11.23 a.m.

Lord Blaker asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the road map for a settlement between Israel and the Palestinians makes provision for limiting or demolishing the wall being built by Israel on Palestinian territory.

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, the quartet road map, while not including a specific provision on the construction of the fence by Israel, does call upon the Government of Israel to take no actions undermining trust, including the confiscation and/or demolition of Palestinian property. It is important that, in implementing the road map, all parties refrain from actions that obstruct the search for peace. My noble friend Lady Symons is currently visiting the occupied territories to see the situation on the ground for herself.

Lord Blaker

My Lords, I hope, as we all do, that the noble Baroness's visit is successful. Although one recognises Israel's need for security, is not the construction of the wall contrary to international law and to a recent resolution by the United Nations General Assembly? In addition, does it not make immeasurably more difficult the task of the Palestinian Prime Minister in securing agreement to a ceasefire from Hamas and similar organisations? What are the quartet countries doing to resolve the situation, and what is President Bush doing to fulfil his undertaking to use, in resolving the problem, energy similar to that which the Prime Minister has used on Northern Ireland?

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his good wishes to my noble friend Lady Symons on her visit this week to the occupied territories. She felt that it was important to see for herself the situation and to meet key players, now that the new administration under Abu Ala has been established.

I agree very much with the noble Lord that the UK has made clear its views on the fence. While always recognising Israel's legitimate security concerns, we consider the building of the fence in the occupied Palestinian territories to be unlawful. As the noble Lord has said, it threatens the prospect of a two-state solution and is very much an obstacle to peace.

The noble Lord asked about US engagement. The US. together with all other members of the quartet, continues to press both sides to implement their obligations under the road map.

Baroness Whitaker

My Lords, will the forthcoming elections in the United States not detract from US engagement with the road map? Does my noble friend agree with me that it was noticeable that President Bush did not mention the road map in his State of the Union address? What are the implications of that for future work on the peace process?

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, I hope that I can reassure my noble friend that the United States and President Bush are very much engaged with the road map and its success. President Bush clearly reiterated his determination to move forward on the peace process following his state visit here in November. During that visit he said: Israel should freeze settlement construction, dismantle unauthorized outposts, end the daily humiliation of the Palestinian people, and not prejudice final negotiations with the placements of walls and fences. Arab states should end incitement in their own media, cut off public and private funding for terrorism, and establish normal relations with Israel".

Lord Wallace of Saltaire

My Lords, does the Minister recognise that, in the run-up to the war in Iraq, we were assured by many American policy-makers that, to quote Henry Kissinger, for example, the road to Jerusalem lies through Baghdad", and that the replacement of Saddam Hussein would make implementation of the road map a great deal easier? What parts of the road map have yet to be implemented? Our understanding was that part of what our Prime Minister hoped to have got out of the Bush Administration in return for the public support that we gave them was a commitment to press ahead rapidly and determinedly with implementation of the road map. Sadly, there is very little evidence that that has been done.

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, I share the noble Lord's frustration and concern at the slow process of the road map. As he knows, the road map is in three phases. We are concentrating on phase one, which is still to be implemented. We are gravely concerned about prospects for peace. Failure matters more than ever now, because the clock is ticking on a two-state solution. The priority now is visible Palestinian efforts to stop violence and degrade terrorist capabilities. In parallel, Israel also needs to make an investment in peace, fulfilling its road map responsibilities to freeze all settlement activity, to remove settlement outposts and to improve the humanitarian situation in the occupied territories. I agree very much with the sentiments expressed by the noble Lord.

Lord Hurd of Westwell

My Lords, is not the situation even more serious than the noble Baroness indicated in her previous answer? Do not the daily pressures of the occupation, including the construction of the fence, have the effect of flaking away the authority of the Palestinian Authority, which was never very great, and making it almost impossible for it now to take effective measures to stop the suicide bombing, so that you get a complete stalemate?

Everyone understands the difficulties of American efforts between now and November—the noble Baroness would not wish to brush that aside. But can Her Majesty's Government continue to bring home to the Americans, and everyone else concerned, that if the present situation is allowed to continue—it is not just a stalemate; it is a steady, daily deterioration—something that is now tragic for all sides could become dangerous for peace, even disastrous?

Baroness Crawley

Yes, my Lords; I agree. We are constantly speaking with our friends in both Palestine and Israel about the urgency of this situation. My noble friend Lady Symons of Vernham Dean is, at this moment, speaking with our Palestinian friends about the efforts that they must make. I agree that the drip, drip, drip of repression in the occupied territories makes it difficult to give impetus to the peace process.