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Mid East deal possible, says PM

by brownbare | July 20, 2008 at 03:56 pm | 101 views | add comment

Mid East deal possible, says PM

Gordon Brown said there were great opportunities for a peace settlement

Gordon Brown has said he is optimistic Israel and the Palestinians can sign a peace deal, and has promised British funds to help it work.

The PM was speaking after meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders during a visit to the Middle East.

Mr Brown said the UK "would do anything we can" to underpin a political breakthrough with economic support.

Earlier he said there was an "urgent need for justice" for the Palestinians, and a viable Palestinian state.

Speaking at a joint press conference after talks with the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Mr Brown said he "understood the obstacles" to a peace settlement.

Obviously it is good to see a pledge of help from the U.K. However would Gordon Brown consider doing as he preaches? While troops are in Iraq fighting an impossible war can the PM really be the face of peace in the Middle East? I would find it difficult to imagine a Palestinian hailing the news that Gordon Brown pledges U.K's support as being good news. In fact I would imagine that an Israeli would also look sceptically at the act and think that the U.K. has no business intervening in these affair. One action that might encourage people into truly believing that the U.K's foreign policy is devoted to peace may be to pledge less support with the U.S. ?