Diana in the Middle East

9.41.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 26th Mar 2008

Diana with the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mr Salam Fayyed

Diana Wallis MEP has just returned from a trip to Jordan and Palestine. She was invited to speak at the Law Institute at Birzeit University and took the opportunity to speak to politicians, academics and others in a series of meetings across the region.

Diana said:

"My first impressions were that the people I met retained an amazing sense of resilience and willingness to keep going and try to build something in what are clearly very difficult circumstances.

"However, they all reiterated two clear messages: things are not getting any better since Annapolis, and unless there is some clear progress on the Israeli side then Palestinians will lose all faith in any possible peace process."

A full report of Diana's visit, along with her views from a subsequent meeting with the Quartet's Middle East representative, Tony Blair, will be published here shortly.

(Photo shows Diana with the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mr Salam Fayyed)

Related Link:

A full report of Diana's visit can be read here.