THOSE who have followed Middle East politics over the past decade, will not be surprised by the recent eruption of violence in Israel and Palestine.

Ariel Sharon lit the blue touch paper, some say deliberately, in order to bring an abrupt end to the brave efforts of Ehud Barak to reach a final settlement with Yasser Arafat.

The Jews razed to the ground hundreds of Palestinian villages, with huge loss of life, in 1947 and 1948, and created the 4.5 million refugees who live in the camps around the region today. They are still hoping to return to their homeland.

The ethnic cleansing goes on. Houses in East Jerusalem, once occupied for centuries by Palestinian families, are being occupied by Jewish families.

Palestinian's attempts to extend their homes or build new ones on their own land are frustrated by Israeli planning laws.

Yet Israelis can build without hindrance on Palestinian land. Palestinians cannot freely visit their relatives either, even over the short distance of eight miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem.

Most of the water in this part of the world lies under Palestinian soil, yet Israelis use most of it. It's a similar situation with electricity.

Israelis will tell you that they co-exist with Israeli Arabs, but check out the standard of living of each race!

Palestinians are unable to defend themselves against the might of the Israeli Army or to trade freely with the rest of the world.

I have been in Jerusalem on Jerusalem Day and seen the Jewish columns singing and marching into the old City, across Palestinian land, all wearing the same coloured shirts and with some members of the columns armed with automatic weapons.

I found this all very intimidating and reminiscent of another age and another place.

Visit a heavily fortified Jewish settlement on the top of a hill in Palestinian territory and see more than half the houses empty, while the Palestinians live in overcrowded homes.

Unlike Palestinians, Jews are represented throughout the establishments of most Western democracies.

That is true of both Britain and America. By contrast, Palestinians have little influence outside the Arab World, so what chance have they of achieving statehood, now deferred several times? For information on advice surgeries and how to contact me, phone Karen on 01204 371202, or check out http://members.xoom.com/iddon, where information on my Parliamentary activities and speeches can also be found.