THE Prime Minister is wise not to allow the nation's mourning for the Queen Mother to stand in the way of his meeting with President Bush later this week.

In the current international climate it is imperative that talks between the two most influential men in the Western world go ahead.

However, their discussions must not focus solely on drawing up a plan of action against Saddam Hussein.

While Iraq's stockpile of weapons of mass destruction is the cause for medium and long-term concern, current events in Palestine and Israel represent a more immediate risk to world peace.

With relations between Israel and the Palestinians rapidly deteriorating towards the brink of full-scale war, it is remarkable that there has been no meaningful diplomatic intervention from either the US or the United Kingdom.

Mr Blair and President Bush have the opportunity for belated intervention when they meet.

The vicious cycle of tit-for-tat violence in the region shows no sign of abating.

It is apparent that there is no willingness within either Israel or Palestine to renounce revenge for reconciliation.

The impetus for a ceasefire, from which any semblance of peace can be created, has to come from a third party.

But it must come from a third party to which both sides will listen. The Saudi proposal, which on the face of it had a lot of merit, was never seriously considered and never likely to succeed.

Intervention from President Bush and Mr Blair will carry more clout and have more chance of brokering a settlement.

Standing idly by and watching the Palestine-Israeli situation spiral out of control is no longer an option for the West.

Further conflagration risks bringing neighbouring Arab states into the conflict.

Indeed, prolonged instability in the Middle East will be ruthlessly exploited by rogue states such as Iraq. It will strengthen the position of crackpots like Saddam, not weaken them.

And it will disintegrate the fragile coalition against terrorism so carefully constructed by President Bush and Mr Blair.