---

UK Policy on the Middle East

I am sorry, but there is very little time left. Ismail Haniya, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, said on 4 June that the""Zionist project on our land is reaching its final stage. The incident marks the beginning of the delegitimisation of the Zionist project in our country."" Clearly, there is something more to this than the giving of humanitarian aid. I hope that those inquiries will show just exactly what that is. There is something to be hopeful for in the middle east, and that is the resumed negotiations, although they are only indirect, with Fatah in a genuine attempt to find a two-state solution to this very tragic conflict. I hope the work of Senator Mitchell and his team is successful. The only solution to the conflict is mutual recognition by two peoples, justifiably seeking to retain or achieve national statehood and living in peace. The ideology of Hamas, followed by its actions to deny Jewish statehood, is absolutely unacceptable and is the obstacle to peace.