§ 31. Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how Her Majesty's Government propose to discharge their obligations as a high contracting party under article 1 of the Geneva 129W convention relative to the treatment of prisoners of war with regard to the non-compliance of Israel with the conventions in respect of that country's treatment of prisoners of war.
§ Mr. HurdIn response to representations by Her Majesty's Government, the Israeli Government have stated that captured Palestinian prisoners are being treated as civilian detainees under the fourth Geneva convention and not as prisoners of war under the third Geneva convention. According to the Israeli Government this is because the Palestinians have been engaged in terrorist activities and are not themselves a party to the Geneva conventions. The Israeli Government assure us that Palestinian prisoners are being treated properly and humanely by the Israeli armed forces.