§ Richard BurdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will investigate the circumstances in which Israeli troops have delayed the return to Ramallah of Palestinian teachers from the Friends School who were on the visit to Birmingham between 22 February and 2 March organised by the British Council; and if he will make a statement. [41207]
§ Mr. BradshawOfficials at the British Council have informed me that the teachers have returned to their school in Ramallah. Their journey was difficult because of problems they encountered crossing Israeli Defence Force checkpoints
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Settlement applications 1999 2000 2001 Country Receive Issued Refused Received Issued Refused Received Issued Refused Albania 23 17 3 90 70 20 137 163 26 Algeria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Angola 5 5 0 10 6 0 1 0 1 Argentina 49 47 2 77 76 0 — — — Armenia 6 6 0 12 12 0 — — — Ascension Island 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — Australia 5,329 5,201 1 5,353 5,149 3 2,076 3,896 1 Austria 6 6 0 8 7 1 5 241 0 Azerbaijan 55 47 3 29 32 0 14 27 3 Bahamas 30 30 0 26 26 0 — — — Bahrain 26 26 0 74 72 1 71 131 0 Bangladesh 4,769 3,289 1,293 5,127 4,941 1,729 3,626 4,793 1,466 Barbados 128 109 7 181 178 8 — — — Belarus 38 33 0 50 57 3 43 70 1 Belgium 34 33 0 17 16 3 15 26 0 Belize 6 6 0 11 11 0 — — — Bermuda 16 16 0 15 15 0 — — — Bolivia 10 10 0 5 5 0 — — Bosnia Herzegovina 20 19 1 26 25 1 22 30 0 Botswana 17 18 0 34 34 0 — — — Brazil 236 227 10 179 165 14 0 0 0 Brunei 33 33 0 47 47 0 — — — I am deeply concerned about the humanitarian and economic impact of closures. Sustained closures continue to restrict the free movement of people and essential supplies between the Occupied Territories and Israel and other countries, as well as within the Occupied Territories. The suffocation of the Palestinian economy, growing unemployment and the disruption of public service and normal social activity in the territories can only fuel hatred and violence. The lifting of closures form part of the recommendations of the Mitchell Committee report. We have expressed our serious concerns to the Israeli Government on political, legal and humanitarian grounds, and will continue to do so.