§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their latest information concerning the number of (a) Palestinians from the occupied territories detained by the Israeli authorities, with or without convictions for an offence; and (b) those detained by the South Lebanon Army in the fortress of Khiam; and whether the International Committee of the Red Cross has secured access to them.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyLatest figures from the International Committee of the Red Cross indicate that around 5,900 Palestinians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are detained by Israel. About 5,000 have been arrested for security reasons; the rest are considered "common law" prisoners. The ICRC believe that there are some 200 persons detained in Khiam. ICRC delegates have not been authorised to carry out visits to the detainees in Khiam, but since January 1995 the ICRC has been allowed to organise family visits to these detainees.