Ivan Yates
Question:105 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the treatment of a group of Irish travellers to Israel (details supplied). [20956/99]
Written Answers. - Irish Pilgrim Group.
I am disappointed at the decision of the Israeli Government, conveyed to the Irish Embassy in Tel Aviv on 19 October, to refuse to allow a group of 25 peaceable pilgrims from Ireland, 18 of them Irish citizens, to travel to the Holy Land. I raised the matter directly with Foreign Minister Levy whom I met in Luxembourg on 11 October and had hoped that further information about the standing of this group, provided through the Irish Embassy, would have assured the Israeli authorities that they are neither a sect nor a cult, that they are totally committed to non-violence and that they are therefore no threat to anybody. The reasons given by the Israeli authorities for this refusal are that their immigration rules do not allow tourists to stay for eight months, that they suspected that the group might want to stay in the country indefinitely and that the consent of the natural parents was required in the case of adopted children.
The Ambassador in Tel Aviv protested to the Israeli authorities about the physical mistreatment of members of the group in Haifa on 10 October when they were forced by police to re-board the ship on which they had arrived. The embassy has since presented to the Israeli Foreign Ministry copies of written statements by ten members of the group detailing that mistreatment, has told the Foreign Ministry that we are not satisfied that the situation justified the heavy-handed action that was taken and has sought an explanation of the conduct of the police.
The Irish Embassy in Athens has impressed on the group of pilgrims, now in Greece, that Israel has a sovereign right to refuse them entry and that the Irish Government is disappointed with that decision but that we have to accept it. While we understand their feelings, particularly about the misleading press coverage which surrounded the decision, we have strongly advised them also to accept it.