Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Israel on (a) the case of Issa Amro and (b) upholding Palestinians' right to undertake take non-violent protest in support of Palestinian human rights and statehood.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem attended Mr Amro's court hearing on 6 January. We continue to urge the Israeli Government to fully respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of human rights defenders and organisations. We have also raised concerns with the Palestinian Authority about the narrowing of space for civil society to operate in the West Bank.
Asked by: Baroness Blackstone (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by Amnesty International on 5 January that Issa Amro is "facing politically motivated charges for his peaceful activism against Israel’s military occupation and illegal settlements"; and what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the conviction of Issa Amro.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of the 5 January statement by Amnesty International about Issa Amro's case. Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem attended Mr Amro's court hearing on 6 January. We continue to urge the Israeli Government to fully respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of human rights defenders and organisations. We have also raised concerns with the Palestinian Authority about the narrowing of space for civil society to operate in the West Bank.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support (a) Issa Amro and (b) other human rights defenders that have been convicted and imprisoned by an Israeli military court.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem attended Mr Amro's court hearing on 6 January. We continue to urge the Israeli Government to fully respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of human rights defenders and organisations. We have also raised concerns with the Palestinian Authority about the narrowing of space for civil society to operate in the West Bank.
Asked by: Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the conviction of Issa Amro by a military court in Israel.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem attended Mr Amro's court hearing on 6 January. The UK remains concerned about the challenges facing human rights defenders and human rights organisations operating in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We continue to urge the Israeli Government to fully respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of human rights defenders and organisations. We have also raised concerns with the Palestinian Authority about the narrowing of space for civil society to operate in the West Bank.
Asked by: Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the indictment by Israel's military court of Issa Imro, the EU-recognised human rights defender.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have not raised the case of Mr Amro with the Israeli authorities, but we are following his case closely. An official from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem attended Mr Amro’s court hearing on 9 July.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made representations to the Israeli Government on the (a) charges brought against Issa Amro by the Israeli military court and (b) arrest of Omar Barghouti in March 2017.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We have not raised the particular cases of Mr Amro or Mr Barghouti with the Israeli authorities but we are following their cases closely. Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem attended Mr Amro’s court hearing on 26 March, visited him at Youth Against Settlements in Hebron on 6 January and met his lawyer on 17 January.
Asked by: Lord Tebbit (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 27 June (HL657), whether the "special status" enjoyed by the Sovereign is granted by EU law.
Answered by Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen
The European Court of Justice has held that EU law must be interpreted in the light of the relevant rules of international law and that, as such, under EU law Heads of State enjoy a special status (different from that of all other Union citizens).