§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the stance of the Government at the International Court of Justice with regard to the reference of the Israeli security fence. [156390]
§ Mr. RammellThe Government believe that the building of a wall on Palestinian territory is unlawful but that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) should exercise its discretion not to give an opinion on this matter on the grounds
that an opinion is not needed by the UN and could hinder the peace process;that it involves essentially a bilateral dispute, one of the parties to which has not consented to the ICJ's jurisdiction;and that it would involve the determination of issues of fact, on which the necessary evidence is not before the Court.A copy of the UK's written statement to the ICJ to this effect has been placed in the Library of the House.