The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs visited Palestine on 17-19 August. It was his first trip since taking over his ministerial duties 9 weeks ago.  Mr Lewis was keen to see the situation on the ground for himself as soon possible and speak to a wide variety people and hear their views on the chance of peace that President Obama is offering the region.

He made formal calls on Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki and in the President' s office Dr Rafiq Husseini.  He also met with some of the leading lights of Palestinian academic and business circles including Dr Hanan Ashrawi and Mr Mazen Sinokrot.  However, the Ministers was especially delighted to meet some of Palestine's brightest young people including the captain of the women's national football team and activists in the stop the Wall campaign.

The highlight of Mr Lewis's visit was a tour of Qalqilya and the surrounding area that has been badly effected by the barrier.  Mr Lewis had the opportunity to hear from the Mayor of Jayous and several local residents and farmers what a blight the wall was on their lives and their community.  The minister heard that Jayous is considered the town most affected by the wall, with 8600 dunums of its land were isolated behind the wall, including six water wells that irrigate 5000 Dunums with 50, 000 citrus trees.

In press interviews The Minister said that while Israel had the right to self-defence it did not have the right to build the wall on Palestinian land.  He described the wall as a tragedy but said that it must exist on the Israeli side and not on Palestinian soil.

On the peace process itself, Mr Lewis was optimistic but realistic saying that he saw a new chance and true desire from both people to seize that chance.  He reiterated the UK demand for a complete halt to settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem but pointed out that there would be no comprehensive peace if the Arab world did not attempt to normalise relations with Israel, as part of a comprehensive peace that Includes Syria Lebanon and Palestine.

The minister continues now with the second half of his visit, calling on senior Israeli representatives and visiting parts of Israel. You can images of the Minister's visit in our gallery .

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