Melanie Phillips comments in this Sunday Times of London commentary about the relationship between the Middle East conflict and the ‘war on terrorism’:

…(T)he belief that a (in principle, desirable) two-state solution to the Israel crisis would secure Arab support for the coalition is extraordinarily facile. The essence of the Muslim grievance here is the existence of Israel itself. That is why Yasser Arafat rejected Israel’s offer of a fledgling state and launched the intifada in response.

But Blair, along with some advisers to President George W Bush, doesn’t seem to see it that way. He thinks solving the Middle East crisis will end terror. But this is an upside-down argument. It is only by ending terror that the Middle East crisis will be solved. Yet how can this be done if America and Britain actually ally themselves with states sponsoring terror in the Middle East, such as Syria, Iran or Saudi Arabia?

There is now a real danger, as Israel’s prime minister, Ariel Sharon, has warned, that Israel will be seen as expendable and a terrorist state will be imposed on its border – as the price for keeping together the coalition against terror. But even if the Middle East crisis were solved tomorrow, the threat would remain. For the issue is the hegemony of the West.

Her solution, unfortunately, is that ‘the West should end its “liberal” imperialism and stop telling other cultures how to behave. Instead, it must vigorously defend and reassert liberal values on its home ground,’ by which she means giving up the illusion of multicultural and remaking ourselves as a ‘Christian’ civilization, albeit one with respect for and support of the Jews and Israel. Moderate Muslims in the West must choose to live as a minority in such a liberal society, and may be the seeds of an Islamic reformation.

Meanwhile, Blair backs creation of Palestinian state: “The prime minister, Tony Blair, today gave his public backing to the creation of a Palestinian state following a meeting at 10 Downing Street with Yasser Arafat.

The Palestinian leader called on the Israeli government to come “immediately” to the negotiating table to thrash out a negotiated settlement for the Middle East.

Mr Blair said that the creation of a Palestinian state was central to his vision for peace. “A viable Palestinian state, as part of a negotiated and agreed settlement, which guarantees peace and security for Israel is the objective,” Mr Blair said after an hour of talks with Mr Arafat.” Guardian UK As Phillips (above) asks, however, does Blair put the cart before the horse?