Vol. 472 No. 7
53 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the representations, if any, which have been made by Ireland, either nationally or in its capacity as President of the EU, to Israel, in view of the admission by Israeli authorities that they engage in torture of political prisoners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24009/96]
The Government is concerned by reports of the ill-treatment of prisoners in Israel. We are particularly concerned at the recent decision of the Israeli Supreme Court that Secret Service investigators can use physical force in questioning Palestinian detainees, as well as previous decisions permitting the Israeli security services to use physical pressure in the interrogation of suspects. There have also been recent disturbing television reports of an incident involving beatings and abuse of detainees by Israeli security forces. While Ireland and its partners in the European Union acknowledge Israel's legitimate security concerns, these concerns cannot be used to justify measures which are contrary to the norms of international law and respect for human rights.
The European Union has close political and economic links with Israel and the EU is committed to maintaining and deepening this relationship. In this context, and on the basis of a common commitment to the furtherence of the Middle East peace process, a new generation Euromediterranean Association Agreement was signed with Israel on 20 November 1995. The new agreement is based on an open acknowledgment that respect for the principles of democracy and human rights will guide the domestic and external policies of both parties and that these principles constitute an essential element of the Agreement. The Government firmly expects that Israel, like other states with which the European Union intends to conclude such Euromediterranean partnership agreements, will agree to engage freely in discussions with the EU on human rights issues. In my meetings, during the Presidency, with the Prime Minister, Mr. Netanyahu and the Foreign Minister, Mr. Levy on a number of occasions in the context of Ireland's Presidency of the European Union, I stressed the EU's concerns about the future of the peace process, including the situation of Palestinian prisoners. The EU will continue to underline to the Israeli Government the importance of improvements in human rights, including concrete steps to improve the treatment of prisoners.
