Palestine: Children
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the recommendation in the report of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel that Member States conduct investigations under domestic or universal jurisdiction of individuals suspected of participating in unlawful acts of violence against Palestinian children, including dual nationals.
Answered by Mr Hamish Falconer
The UK has always recognised the right of British dual nationals to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationality. But as with any conflict, anyone who travels overseas to fight, or to assist others engaged in conflict, may commit offences under UK law if they fail to act consistently with applicable international law, and could face investigation and prosecution on their return to the UK.
Those are decisions for the operationally-independent police and Crown Prosecution Service to take, based on the evidence in each individual case. Anyone who has evidence of a British national engaging in illegal activity should submit it to the Met Police, including any violations of the rights of children under International Humanitarian Law, of the kind alleged in the UN report to which the Hon Member refers.
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