VIOLENCE in the Middle East and potential British involvement was the subject of a question posed to the Prime Minister during Question Time by Watford MP Claire Ward.
On Wednesday, March 13, Miss Ward asked Tony Blair: "Does my right honourable friend agree the continuing disproportionate response of Israeli armed forces in Palestine is making it increasingly difficult to achieve a peaceful solution?
"Will he ensure that this Government concentrates on bringing both sides back to the negotiating table before any more innocent Palestinian or Israeli lives are lost? "
The Prime Minister replied: "In my view, there is no alternative but to start from two fixed points of principle in that process. The first is the right of Israel to exist securely, and that should be accepted not just by the Palestinians but by all the Arab world.
"Secondly, there should be a viable Palestinian state, and that should be accepted by Israel and the international community.
"What we need in the meantime are the minimum steps of security and confidence to allow some of the hatred and bitterness that exists at the moment to ebb and allow space for the process to begin again."
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