Mr HAYDEN —I ask a question of the Prime Minister. I preface it by reminding him of the appalling slaughter which took place in Lebanon on 16, 17 and 18 September, a slaughter which has all the appearance of a premeditated attempt at human extermination. I particularly refer to the role of the Christian Militia and the alleged complicity of the Israeli forces which has led not only to universal, global condemnation but also to public outrage within Israel. In view of the enormity of these events I ask the Prime Minister: Will he agree to make a statement on this matter to the House this week and allow a debate to proceed in response to that statement?

Mr MALCOLM FRASER —The Leader of the Opposition will know that both the Minister for Foreign Affairs and I-indeed I am sure we were doing it on behalf not only of the Government but of all Australians-have indicated how appalled we were at what had happened. We have indicated general support for the initiatives that President Reagan has taken and I believe that they deserve support. We had indicated earlier support for the somewhat radical and far-reaching proposals that the President had initiated-support in broad terms-but much needs to be done before those proposals, or proposals of a similar kind, can in fact be put into place.

I will consult with the Foreign Minister to see whether we do have enough firm knowledge on which a statement could be based. I think the honourable gentleman will appreciate that we do not have our own mission in Beirut. It has been difficult to get hard evidence of what in fact happened or how it happened. There is no doubt that many thousands of non-combatants have been killed in the Beirut fighting and not just in this particular slaughter. Many non-combatants have been killed throughout the whole Beirut episode. I will consult with the Foreign Minister and see whether something can be usefully said which will enable a factual basis to be established on which a debate could occur in this Parliament. I do not think any of us would want, in any sense, to be seen as condoning the killing of many thousands of people-of many innocent people, of many non-combatants. There can be no contesting, no doubting that that has occurred.

There is one general thing I want to say. I hope it will be understood in this Parliament and in the broader Australian community. I say it as a person who has been and is, in a real sense, a friend of Israel. I say it on behalf of a government that has done a great deal to support the integrity of Israel behind secure and safe borders. It needs to be read in conjunction with and in addition to the statement that was issued in discussion with the Foreign Minister concerning the Lebanon some time ago. That was, of course, before these events occurred. Israel has earned the right, I believe, to the support of governments of countries such as Australia because of the long history of the Jewish people, because of their courage and determination, because of their absolute right to a homeland behind secure and stable boundaries and because there have been many who have sought to drive them into the sea and to destroy that right.

This Government and, I hope, Australia will never withdraw from that general proposition and position. But, at the same time, the strength of support that has been given to Israel over the years has depended very much on the capacity to offer support for a stance which was a moral and high-minded one. That has been the position of Israel and of successive Israeli governments over the years . If, by accident, by design, by misfortune, by error or by misjudgment, events occur which weaken or diminish Israel's right to command the support of countries such as Australia, because it breaks down the moral position on which it stands by any of those means-I am not saying deliberately; inadvertently or in any other way-the capacity of nations to support Israel is obviously diminished because we need to have a credible position from which we can argue our support. I hope very much that, in seeking to determine what has happened in this slaughter, the Government of Israel will take the words that I have just uttered very closely to mind because what has happened appals all of us.