Like many of you, as I attended Jubilee events celebrating 50 years of the Queen's reign, I also reflected on 50 years of continuous peace and prosperity from which we have benefited.

Our country's experience sadly has not been shared in parts of the world from where many of our neighbours and friends have roots the Middle East or the Indian subcontinent, for example.

It has never been harder to be a friend of Israel, either in Parliament or in dealings with the media.

I passionately believe it is part of my job to fight for fair balance in the press, to condemn unreservedly suicide bombings and sniper attacks and to expose those at home who support such criminality.

I asked questions in Parliament about terrorism in India before the current frightening confrontation came to a head.

It can never be justified to bomb innocent women and children, nor to launch an armed attack on the Indian Parliament, home to the world's biggest democracy.

A minority have criticised me as "anti Muslim" for saying such things, a charge I utterly refute. I believe Islam to be among the world's greatest faiths.

Just as in other faiths, the road advocated by extremists is a distortion of that faith's essential truths. It only leads up a blind alley.

Like almost three quarters of Israelis, I believe the Palestinians have a right to a state.

But this can only be achieved through peaceful negotiations, recognising the need for confidence and security for and from both sides, not conceded at the point of a gun.

Equally, Pakistan's grievances over Kashmir can never be resolved through force.

I know the overwhelming majority of people in Hendon agree with me too.

I am proud of the way our diversity has not allowed international tensions to affect our excellent relations here at home. It can only be a matter of regret to us all that the statesmen of those parts of the world challenged by instability and conflict do not follow the example of the leaders of our own communities.

June 11, 2002 18:30