HC Deb 29 June 1981 vol 7 c287W
Mr. Churchill

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will set out the grounds for Her Majesty's Government's view that the destruction of Iraq's nuclear facilities by the Israel air force represents a breach of international law in the light of the fact that the Government of Iraq proclaims itself to be in a state of war with Israel.

Mr. Hurd

The Israeli action is clearly contrary to the prohibition in the United Nations charter on the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity of another State. Iraq has not engaged in active hostilities with Israel since 1973. When there has been no armed conflict between the two countries for so many years, a claim that a formal state of war exists could not justify an unprovoked attack of this kind.