LONDON,
June 18 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Cherie Blair, wife of
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, was Tuesday, June 18, forced into a
public apology for saying that young Palestinians felt they had no
choice but to blow themselves up.
Her
comments were made hours after a Palestinian resistance fighter killed
19 Israelis in Jerusalem, and appeared to be a gaffe by a prominent
media personality who has so far attempted to avoid any suggestion of
playing a political role.
A
spokeswoman for Cherie Blair said: "If any offence has been taken
from the interpretation of her comments then Mrs. Blair is obviously
sorry.
"None
was intended and it goes without saying that she condemns the atrocity
today in the strongest possible terms along with all right-minded
people.
"She
did not and never would she ever condone suicide bombers or say they
had no choice."
Cherie
Blair’s remarks were condemned by opposition deputies while the
Israeli Embassy in London expressed its "regret that any public
statements which might be interpreted as expressing understanding for
Palestinian terrorism should be made, particularly on a day on which
19 innocent Israeli lives were taken by a suicide bomber from
Hamas."
The
Embassy's statement added: "No political grievance or
circumstance can justify the willful targeting of civilians for
political gain, nor can those who glorify and encourage such
atrocities, teaching and preaching hatred and violence, be absolved of
their responsibility for this terrible phenomenon."
Cherie
said earlier Tuesday that young Palestinians felt they had no choice
but to blow themselves up. Meanwhile, Tony Blair lept to the defense
of Cherie against criticism over her remarks.
"As
long as young people feel they have got no hope but to blow themselves
up, you are never going to make progress," she said, appearing
alongside Queen Rania of Jordan at the launch of a charity appeal in
London to improve medical assistance for thousands of Palestinians,
reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Following
her visit to the London offices of Medical Aid for Palestinians, Queen
Rania, for her part, said: "Today's events are a clear reminder
that both sides of the conflict are suffering. It is also clear that
the suffering cannot continue.
"The
one sure way for hope for both peoples is to have a political solution
that will bring about the end of occupation for Palestinians and
security for Israelis and for the people of the region.
"Delaying
the political peace process inevitably exposes more innocent civilians
on both sides to grave danger," she added.
Rania
is of Palestinian origin like nearly half the five-million population
of Jordan.
MAP
- a British charity - helps Palestinians in refugee camps and other
areas affected by closures and travel restrictions imposed by Israel.
Their
new appeal is aimed at encouraging UK citizens to donate cash over the
internet for basic medical help, training for pediatric nurses,
equipment for health centers and food.
The
charity is currently involved in a project to rehabilitate teenagers
traumatized by the Israeli continuous attacks using art therapy and
music.
They
are also working on programs that help women to learn how to start
small businesses
Meanwhile,
a spokeswoman for Blair's office defended the comments made by the
Prime Minister's wife.
"What Mrs. Blair was saying is a statement of the obvious. There
is a consensus that many Palestinians feel they have no hope,"
she said.
"She
is not seeking to justify the actions of Palestinian suicide bombers
in any way. The Prime Minister has said many similar things himself -
mainly that you have to give hope to people through a political
process while at the same time ensuring security for the people of
Israel."
Blair,
for his part, said he hoped her comments would not be misinterpreted.
Speaking
after talks with Spanish Premier Jose Maria Aznar at Downing Street,
Blair said: "First of all I hope that no-one misdescribes her
sentiments, or mine or anyone else's.
"Everybody
in this situation feels nothing but the deepest sympathy for the
people who have lost their lives in the latest terrorist attack."
He
added: "Terrorism offers absolutely no future, no way out of that
process whatsoever.
"But
of course it is true that we need to make sure that there is hope for
the future and the hope lies in the political process taking the place
of the extremists, the terrorists and the suicide bombers.
"And
I am sure that is what Cherie was saying, as everyone who has looked
at this problem knows is the case," he was quoted by BBC’s
online news service.
However,
British Foreign Affairs spokesman for the opposition Conservatives,
Michael Ancram, said the Prime Minister's wife had used the "most
unfortunate words".
