ISRAEL'S NEW DETENTION OF MR VANUNU

Early day motion 262, tabled 1 December 2004 by Llew Smith (Labour). Signed by 152 members.

That this House condemns the new detention on 11th November of Mordechai Vanunu on the alleged suspicion of passing on classified information on Israel's nuclear weapons programme to foreign journalists; notes that despite serving 18 years in jail for making public Israel's nuclear arsenal, on being released earlier this year his civil and human rights were further restricted by the Israeli authorities refusing him a passport, refusing him permission to leave Israel for a year, banning his contact with foreigners, except with permission, barring him from visiting foreign embassies, meeting the foreign press and broadcast media and from giving media interviews; believes that far from being a threat to the Israeli State, Mr Vanunu bravely acted as an independent inspector of Israel's nuclear weapons of mass destruction; agrees with International Atomic Energy Agency director, General Dr El-Baredei, when he told the Sydney Morning Herald on 8th November that 'This is not really sustainable, that you have Israel sitting with nuclear weapons capability there while everyone else is part of the non-proliferation regime'; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to make representations to the Israeli Government for the immediate release and cessation of harassment of Mr Vanunu.

Signatures by party: Labour 107, Liberal Democrat 23, Labour/Co-operative 10, Scottish National Party 5, Plaid Cymru 3, Conservative 2, Independent 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.