CHERIE Blair, like every other person in the United Kingdom, is entitled to her opinions. But as Prime Minister's wife, she needs to be careful when she makes her views public.

For her to comment in public on the situation in the Middle East at this particular point in time was unwise and an error of judgement.

Relations between Israel and the Palestinians are so tense that even the most experienced politician must exercise great caution before entering any discussion on the matter.

For Mrs Blair to enter the debate only hours after a suicide bomb claimed 20 lives was deeply insensitive.

She is to be commended, however, for her swift and unreserved apology. It is a lesson in integrity many politicians are reluctant to follow.

In her defence, it is wrong to misconstrue what Mrs Blair had to say as condoning yesterday's atrocity.

While she should have kept her counsel, and the timing of her comments left a lot to be desired, the essence of what she said was incontrovertible.

There is a feeling of hopelessness and despair among young Palestinians, and that is driving a tiny minority of them to be prepared to become suicide bombers.

A statement of fact should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Palestinian terrorism.

Mrs Blair's comments are echoing the exasperation felt by many people across the world; that the seemingly endless cycle of tit-for-tat terror, which claims the lives of innocent civilians, will not bring peace and stability to the Middle East.

Dialogue and diplomacy can be the only way forward. There has to be a recognition that the people of Israel are entitled to live in safety within recognised borders, and that the Palestinians should have a sustainable homeland.

And there has to be a recognition that, neither suicide bombing nor the use of brute force in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, can be justified.

Perhaps Mrs Blair is merely expressing the frustration many of us feel at the lack of progress being made by world leaders, including her husband, in bringing back the Palestinians and the Israelis to the negotiating table.