Our MPs & The Crisis In Lebanon

Theresa Villiers & Lebanon

I am extremely concerned by the events currently unfolding in the Middle East. The tragic loss of civilian life on both sides is a deeply troubling.

Indiscriminate rocket attacks against Israeli citizens are not acceptable. Nor is incursion on to Israeli territory to kill and kidnap soldiers justified. We should not be surprised that Israel chose to exercise her right to protect her citizens and defend her territory.

It is a huge relief to all of us that a ceasefire is now in operation. It is vitally important that the international community shows an intense, co-ordinated and powerful effort to maintain the ceasefire and bring about a lasting resolution to the crisis.

I believe that the release of the Israeli hostages, the end of rocket attacks on Israel and a future for Lebanon without armed militias are the key conditions necessary for implementation of an enduring ceasefire.

Only by addressing the long term causes of this crisis will we achieve lasting peace. This involves re-starting the ‘Road Map’ to peace; it is now imperative that we find a route to the resumption of dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians. It is crucial that negotiations on the basis of a two-state solution are resumed as soon as possible.

The international community also needs to address Iran's nuclear ambitions and Syria’s involvement in Lebanon. Everyone can now clearly see that the involvement of Iran and Syria in Hamas and Hezbollah is deeply destructive and must be addressed.

The international community also needs to secure implementation of UN Resolution 1559 which requires the disbandment of the militias and the restoration of full control to the Lebanese government.

Andy Love & Lebanon

Q. Would you agree that the systematic bombing of civilian houses, the forced migration of the people to escape death and mutilation, the disproportionate amount of civilian casualties particularly children is in fact as Jan Egeland suggests a “violation of humanitarian law”?

A. I would agree that the current crisis represents a violation of humanitarian law, and I am calling for the British government to adopt a more robust attitude in calling for a ceasefire to the present hostilities. (Please see link to BBC News - UK: Blair facing pressure over Israel)

Q. Do you also believe that bombardment causing this humanitarian disaster is a disproportionate response to the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers?

A. Whilst I would not doubt for one moment that faults lie on both sides of this conflict, I do consider the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Middle East to be the result of a disproportionate response

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Q. Do you accept that there must be and would you call for an immediate ceasefire to avoid deepening the existing humanitarian catastrophe?

A. Emphatically yes – and I am on record as having publicly called for an immediate end to the hostilities to bring civilian casualties to an end (see link above).

David Burowwes & Lebanon

May I assure you that I am listening to the concerns expressed by you and many other constituents about the conflict in Israel-Lebanon. It is a tragedy to see the many deaths, particularly innocent civilians both young and old. It is also of great concern that parts of Lebanon have been destroyed. Of course I want to see a ceasefire and the end of violence and destruction in this region. In many ways it would be easier to join the call for an immediate ceasefire. However I am reticent to do so because of the nature of this conflict and the need to have real peace and resolution rather than politicians engaging in posturing. We are not dealing with a war between sovereign states but rather between a terrorist organisation responsible for years of deliberate killings of innocent civilians and intent on eliminating Israel and its people and Israel which for all its failings is a free democratic nation seeking to protect its citizens.

I am therefore supporting steps for a ceasefire base around an agreement to bring the South Lebanese border back under control ideally by the sovereign Lebanese military but more realistically in the short term by the UN and to secure the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Steps also need to be urgently taken to provide humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese and to restore their broken infrastructure and civil institutions. A real danger is that the vacuum left by the conflict will be filled by terrorist militia as has happened in Gaza.

Britain and the EU need to proscribe Hezbollah in all its entities as a terrorist organisation and seek the full implementation of UN resolution 1559.