Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent arrest by Israeli authorities of a person (details supplied) at the border terminal between Jordan and the occupied West Bank; his further views on reports that this person has not been charged with a crime, which has led their lawyers to believe that the person is being held due to advocacy work; if this matter has been raised with the Israeli Government and its representatives here; and the steps being taken to seek the immediate and unconditional release of this person. [45175/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The person referred to by the Deputy is a Palestinian activist on political and human rights issues, who was arrested on 22 September on returning to the West Bank from Jordan, following a visit to Norway and other countries. He has been held since then in administrative detention. The Irish Missions in Israel and Palestine, and the EU Presidency and other partners, have been following the case against him, but full information on the circumstances is not yet available. The allegations against him have not been made public, but appear to have been based on security issues rather than any clearly criminal acts. It is suggested that he may be alleged to have been in contact with banned militant groups while abroad, but the absence of information has, not surprisingly, given rise to a widespread suspicion that his advocacy work may have been a factor in the action taken against him.

I understand that the process against him concluded with a final hearing before a judge on 25 November, at which he was sentenced to three months of administrative detention. While detention orders are often renewed, the judge in this case set a release date of 22 December. It is open to the individual concerned to appeal this verdict in a military court.

This case is only one of over 300 cases of Palestinians held in administrative detention, many held under short term orders which are regularly renewed. Over 100 of these detainees have been held for more than a year. While there may be a need in the context of the security situation in the Middle East for strong police powers, it is clear that the system of administrative detention, as operated on such a wide scale and in virtual secrecy, is wide open to abuse and to the suspicion of abuse. Our views on this system, and on other human rights issues pertaining to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, have been frequently conveyed to the Israeli authorities.