GAZA

The tragedy of the Middle East is once again making news, demonstrating the seemingly intractable nature of the Israel-Palestine conflict. I would hope that everyone wants peace in this troubled part of the world. To this end I support the calls for an immediate ceasefire. I also agree with Gordon Brown that the Palestinians need humanitarian aid while at the same time Israel requires certain assurances, including stopping the rockets being fired across its border and a resolution of arms trafficking into Gaza.

The State of Israel has existed since 1948. It is an internationally recognised sovereign country and must continue as such. This is not to say I agree with the occupation of parts of the West Bank or the Israeli security barrier and checkpoints. Neither do I agree with Hamas terrorism, and certainly not with suicide bombings. I do, however, hope that sooner rather than later it will be possible to agree a two state solution providing a homeland for the Palestinians.

By using its military strength in Gaza Israel has killed children and elderly people in its quest to stamp out Hamas terrorism. On the other hand, Hamas has constantly fired rockets into Israel, often aiming their missiles at Israeli schools, and sustained a grinding campaign of suicide bombing. Moreover, Hamas's stated aim is to get rid of the State of Israel. It is shunned by the EU and the USA as a terrorist organisation. Hamas is also a fundamentalist group and is in regular contact with Iran.

It is not easy to take sides in this unending war which seems to defy resolution. Unfortunately at present both sides are acting in an extreme manner. Israel has an election looming and each political party is seeking votes. Hamas gained power due in large part to corruption and lack of effectiveness in Fatah, Yasser Arafat's organisation which led the Palestinians for many years. The result has been continuing conflict, fighting which causes each side to take up more and more entrenched positions.

I visited Israel and the West Bank about three years ago on a parliamentary delegation, meeting both Israeli and Palestinian leaders as well as seeing the West Bank for myself. Although basic human rights are being violated on both sides, it is true to say that Israel is a functioning democracy, a rarity in the wider Middle East.

However, there is an additional matter which concerns me very much - the position of women under the Islamic fundamentalist Hamas. Personal issues such as marriage and divorce are adjudicated under Sharia law, which discriminates against women; a Muslim man can marry more than one woman and a son receives double the inheritance given to a daughter. My own experience of Sharia law came a few years ago when I was involved in the case of Amina Lawal, a Nigerian Muslim woman who was sentenced to death under Sharia law for committing adultery.

As Labour Spokesperson on women's rights in the European Parliament, I believe I have to speak up for women. Fundamentalist religious organisations are by their nature anti-women. This, I am afraid, includes Hamas.