Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 May 2006
279 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the administrative detention, issued in May 2005 and extended twice, of a person (details supplied) by the Israeli authorities; his views on whether this is a breach of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and if he has raised the matter with the Israeli authorities. [16013/06]
View answerThe Government has followed this case through the Embassy in Tel Aviv and in cooperation with EU partners. I understand that the person concerned was arrested on 23 May 2005. On 16 June, the Israeli authorities ordered his administrative detention for six months. This order was renewed for a further six months on 14 November 2005, but reduced to four months on review in December. On 20 March 2006, the detention was renewed until 20 July 2006. This latest administrative order has been appealed and the next hearing in relation to the case is scheduled for 9 May.
I am concerned about this case, which has been raised with the Israeli authorities by our Embassy in Tel Aviv. The Embassy is also monitoring the situation closely, in cooperation with the Embassies of other EU Member States.
The Government, and our EU partners, remain very concerned about the practice of administrative detention in Israel and the Occupied Territories. While the question of the status of this practice in relation to Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights could be the subject of discussion with the Israeli Authorities, my focus at present is to work to ensure that our concerns are addressed in the EU's continuing political dialogue with Israel.
