Topical question asked in the House of Commons, by Brian Iddon (Labour). It was answered on Tuesday, 6 April 2010 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Topical Questions

Question: It is not just that Palestinians in Jerusalem and East Jerusalem are being prevented from praying; they are having their houses confiscated in ever-increasing numbers as well. Is my right hon. Friend aware that some of those Palestinians are having to seek asylum in this country, and should they be audacious enough to return to their own country and step off the plane at Tel Aviv, they are in danger of being tortured, put back on a plane and returned to Britain?

Answer: My hon. Friend makes a very important point. I wish him well in his retirement and thank him for all his service to his constituents, and of course to our party and the House. Jerusalem is rightly at the centre of all the great religions; it is a tinderbox. It is very important that all sides are very careful in the actions that they take in that respect, and that the rights of all denominations and all faiths are respected in that special place. The committees and other structures that have been created to govern the holy sites are there for a purpose, and the rules and norms that they have established need to be adhered to very closely indeed.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 508 c816
Session: 2009-10
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Religious freedom Israel Jerusalem Christianity Public expenditure Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Link: View this Topical question on www.publications.parliament.uk