ABDUCTION OF ALAN JOHNSTON

That this House condemns the abduction of the highly respected BBC reporter Alan Johnston; notes that he was the only Western journalist living in Gaza; offers support to his family; recognises the vital importance of independent reporting in Gaza and other volatile environments and the risks journalists take in reporting from danger zones; further notes that 14 foreign journalists in Gaza have been abuducted since August 2005; and supports the ongoing efforts of the BBC and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to secure his release at the earliest opportunity.