Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife Cherie issued a public apology last night for any offence she had caused after saying that young Palestinians had "no hope but to blow themselves up".

Her remarks - coming as they did on the day that the latest suicide bombing left 19 Israelis dead, including schoolchildren - caused an immediate outcry.

Appearing with Queen Rania of Jordan in London at the launch of a £500,000 charity appeal for Medical Aid for Palestinians, Mrs Blair told reporters: "As long as young people feel they have got no hope but to blow themselves up you are never going to make progress."

Her remarks brought swift political reaction, with Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Ancram saying her words would cause "massive offence" to the families of the victims of yesterday's outrage.

The Israeli Embassy issued a statement which said it "expresses 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".

Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, spokesman for the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain, said: "Whatever Cherie Blair may have meant, there can be no justification for the massacre of non-combatants, such as children on their way to school, by suicide bombers.

"In any conflict situation, including the Middle East, dialogue and diplomacy must be the only way forward - as the British Government itself is insisting in Northern Ireland."

Last night, a spokeswoman for Mrs 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.

"She fully agrees with the statement by Queen Rania that, 'The killing of innocent civilians is not acceptable irrespective of perpetrator or victim. Killings will not lead to a political solution'.

"She also agreed with Queen Rania's statement that there needs to be hope for both peoples that there will be a political process to resolve their differences."

Earlier, Tony Blair told reporters: "Everybody in this situation feels nothing but the deepest sympathy for the people who have lost their lives in the latest terrorist attack.

"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."

However, Mr Ancram said last night: "These are most unfortunate words by the Prime Minister's wife. These words will cause massive offence to the families of children and others whose lives were brutally and criminally ended this morning. There can never be any justification for terrorist violence."

Mrs Blair won unexpected backing last night from Diane Yeo, wife of shadow culture secretary Tim Yeo.

Mrs Yeo said that having worked with Mrs Blair in connection with UN refugee charities: " I just simply want to say that Cherie does not condone the taking of innocent lives."