§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with the Israeli authorities their treatment of British staff employed at Birzeit University in the West Bank; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdRepresentations have already been made to the Israeli authorities about their attempt to compel British and other non-resident lecturers at West Bank universities to sign a declaration renouncing support for the PLO or any other hostile organisation. We particularly regret that as a result of this Israeli policy a British lecturer at Bethlehem University, Mr. Mark Cheverton, was forced to leave the West Bank on 5 November.
The Israeli authorities are no longer insisting on signature of this particular document. It is not yet clear what other conditions lecturers are now being asked to fulfil for the renewal of their work permits. We hope that an arrangement will be reached which will enable all those expelled to return to the West Bank to resume their work.