The following Answer to an Urgent Question was given in the House
of Commons on Monday 16 May.
“The United Kingdom Government were shocked to hear of the very
sad death of the respected and renowned journalist Shireen Abu
Aqla while working in the West Bank. On 11 May, the Foreign
Secretary and UK Ministers made clear our concern, and we have
called for a thorough investigation into the events. On 13 May,
in company with the other members of the United Nations Security
Council, we strongly condemned the killing and stressed the
importance of an immediate, thorough, transparent, fair and
impartial investigation. We also stressed the need to ensure
accountability.
The work of journalists across the globe is vital and they must
be protected to carry out their work and defend media freedom. We
were also deeply distressed by the scenes at the funeral of
Shireen Abu Aqla on Friday. Her death was a tragedy and those
mourning must be treated with respect and dignity. The situation
on the ground makes clear the need to make progress towards a
peaceful two-state solution, and the UK stands ready to support.”
16:03:00
(Lab)
My Lords, the killing of Shireen Abu Aqla was not only an
outrageous act but an attack on the freedom of the media and the
independence of journalists working around the world. Her killing
was rightly condemned by world leaders, the UN and civil society.
The recent violence at Shireen’s funeral was similarly
indefensible. While I note that in the other place yesterday
confirmed support for the international investigation, she did
not indicate whether representations had been made to her
counterparts in the Israeli Government to encourage them to
support such an inquiry. Can the Minister answer this, and say
whether further representations have been made to the Israeli
Government on the subsequent violence following the funeral?
The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Office () (Con)
My Lords, I am sure that I speak for everyone, irrespective of
where they are on the issues in the Middle East and the situation
between Israel and the Palestinians, when I express my shock at
the killing of a very renowned journalist, Shireen Abu Aqla. She
worked over many years with great diligence and great conviction,
and— speaking as someone who leads on the importance of media
freedom around the world, which I know is close to the noble
Lord’s heart as well—she did exactly what we know many
journalists do in conflict zones: operated in reporting news with
great courage and conviction. She has tragically paid the
ultimate price of her life. The subsequent scenes we saw during
the funeral shocked many of us. Witnessing that unfolding on
television screens was clearly something that everyone found
extremely shocking. I can confirm that of course we are engaged.
Our ambassador has engaged directly with the Israeli authorities,
as has our consul general in Jerusalem. We have continued to
press for a thorough investigation into the events that took
place.
(LD)
With regards to the funeral, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa,
of the Roman Catholic Church, was reported as saying this:
“The Israel Police’s invasion and disproportionate use of
force—attacking mourners, striking them with batons, using smoke
grenades, shooting rubber bullets, frightening the hospital
patients—is a severe violation of international norms and
regulations, including the fundamental human right of freedom of
religion.”
The Vatican has said that the 1993 agreement on the protection of
the fundamental human right of freedom of religion and belief has
been brutally violated. The Minister is well regarded on this
subject, and he has spoken very regularly in this House on the
importance of UK leadership on the protection of the fundamental
human right of freedom of religion and belief. What direct
representations have Ministers from the UK Government made to
their counterparts in the Israeli Government?
(Con)
My Lords, the noble Lord is right that freedom of religion or
belief is a key priority for the United Kingdom Government. We
look forward to hosting the important ministerial event in July
this year. I assure the noble Lord that, as the Human Rights
Minister, I put out a specific statement in respect of the events
that unfolded at the time of the funeral. As the noble Lord has
said, the response is being investigated—and it is right that
those actions are fully investigated. What unfolded on our
screens was, irrespective of where you stand on the issues that
divide people in the Holy Land, something that no one deserved.
The sanctity of life is important, and the funeral of someone who
has tragically been killed—or any funeral—has to be respected for
the dignity of the deceased. We will continue, as we have done,
to call on the Israeli authorities to open an investigation. I
know that, equally, the Palestinian Authority is looking at an
investigation. We believe that it needs to be impartial so that
it can establish the facts on the ground, and we will continue to
work constructively with both sides.
(Con)
My Lords, the bravery and courage of journalists reporting from
war zones and caught up in the crossfire knows no bounds, and my
sympathy and prayers are with the family of Shireen Abu Aqla.
However, does my noble friend the Minister share my sympathies
and prayers for the families of Oren Ben Yiftah, father of six;
Yonatan Havakuk, father of five; and Boaz Gol, father of six?
They were all hacked to death with axes and knives by Palestinian
terrorists on 5 May.
(Con)
My Lords, in joining my noble friend in prayers for the family of
Shireen Abu Aqla, I am sure that I speak for all Members of your
Lordships’ House, irrespective of what our positions are or where
the Government or anyone else may stand, when I say that while we
ultimately seek and hope for peace and security for all, I
condemn any shocking or tragic death and express our solidarity
with those who suffer the tragedy of such actions. This
underlines the importance of achieving a resolution to the
conflict. It is important that we strive to find peace in the
Holy Land.
(CB)
My Lords, it is sad but not surprising that the general opinion
piles in to find that Israel is guilty before any investigation
is carried out. Will the Minister encourage the Palestinians to
hand over the relevant evidence—I believe it is a bullet, and we
hope that it will be the right one—for investigation? Will he
also encourage the Palestinians to stop their “pay for slay”
policy whereby the families of assassins who are in prison are
given salaries? That would be one way to cut down the amount of
tragic bloodshed in that area.
(Con)
My Lords, on the tragic killing of Shireen Abu Aqla, it is
important that we have made the UK’s position clear. Indeed, on
13 May, with other members of the UN Security Council, we not
only condemned the killing but stressed the importance of an
“immediate, thorough, transparent, fair and impartial
investigation”
and the need to ensure accountability. In this respect, anyone
who has evidence in support of such an investigation needs to
bring that forward. It is also important to say that no one who
commits these acts achieves any goal towards the important path
of peace. What we need at this time is reflection on the tragedy
that continues to engulf all communities across Israel and the
Palestinian territories but, equally, to ensure that the
structures and justice systems act to bring justice for those who
suffer as a consequence of these tragic acts.
(Non-Afl)
My Lords, the scenes at the funeral were terrible but it is
completely wrong for people to attribute all the blame to Israel
for this tragedy, when it occurred during a gun battle launched
by terrorists trying to prevent the arrest of people responsible
for the sort of attacks we have just heard about, and when one of
those gunmen was heard saying that he had shot a soldier when in
fact no soldiers were hit. This might explain why the Palestinian
Authority has refused to allow the bullet that we just heard
about to be examined and has refused to hold a joint
investigation.
(Con)
My Lords, that is why we have been very clear in saying that the
investigation has to take place. It needs to be impartial and to
ensure that all evidence is included. As I have said—I say it
time and again as someone who has visited Israel, not just
officially but with my family, and who has also visited the
Palestinian territories—there is much that those communities find
in common. It is important that we now find minds that can bring
this conflict to a resolution. Ultimately, for every life lost
there is a family, whether Israeli or Palestinian, that has to
endure the loss. This tragedy has to come to an end.
(Con)
My Lords—
(Con)
My Lords—
(LD)
My Lords—
(Con)
My Lords, we have time for just two more so we will take a Lib
Dem first.
(LD)
My Lords, the Minister did not quite answer the question of
whether he thought it feasible and valuable to have a joint
investigation. The bullet is clearly an essential piece of
evidence. He talks about an impartial investigation; does he
believe it should be a joint one?
(Con)
My Lords, that has certainly been put forward, and the Israeli
side has called for a joint investigation. As I have said, one
hopes that both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli
authorities can come to an agreement to ensure that the evidence
necessary to any investigation is fully provided, so that we have
that impartial investigation. One hopes that that bridge can be
crossed, so that there can be agreement on the investigation.
With the indulgence of the House, I will also take the second
question as the Whip indicated.
(Con)
I am grateful to my noble friend. Shireen was an American
Palestinian Catholic member of the press. We have seen just from
the interventions in this House that opinion is divided as to how
she was murdered. In those circumstances, does my noble friend
agree that the only way to make sure that we get to the bottom of
who killed—assassinated —Shireen is to have an independent
investigation, independent of those accused of being involved?
(Con)
My Lords, of course, as I have said already, the United Kingdom
Government have been very clear that what is needed is an
investigation that is
“immediate, thorough, transparent, fair and impartial”.
It is important for all involved in that investigation to come
together. Ultimately, we want to see those who were responsible
for the killing of Shireen to be brought to justice.
