Annette Brooke MP Challenges Prime Minister On Progress For Peace In Middle East

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 8th Sep 2004

Annette Brooke challenges the Prime Minister on Peace in the Middle East

Annette Brooke MP today secured Question number two to the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, on the House of Common's first Prime Minister's Questions after the summer recess.

Almost four years exactly since the beginning of the latest 'intifada' in the Middle East, and with increasing violence escalating over the past few weeks between Palestinian and Israeli security services, Annette Brooke MP asked:

"How much hope does the Prime Minister hold on the progress of the agreed Road Map in the Middle East?"

The Prime Minister replied that he also hoped that there would be a return to the Road Map in the Middle East, but that progress depended on the end of terrorism and the willingness of both sides of the dispute to negotiate.

Tony Blair acknowledged that many of the problems in other Middle Eastern countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, were caused by the violence and terrorism in Israel and Palestine. He also made reference to the suicide bombings and the death of innocent Israelis, and the need to put an end to indiscriminate killings and terrorism by militants.