LONDON, May 24, 2007, (WAFA)- British MP Richard Burden said that the Israeli seizure of elected Palestinian representatives and government ministers is unjustified and completely counter-productive.

In a press release issued Thursday, Mr Burden, who chairs the Britain-Palestine All Party Group in Parliament, said today that seizing these people, Israel is only making matters worse.

"In the last few days, at least 30 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes, one Israeli woman has been killed by a Palestinian rocket, and people are dying in factional violence in Gaza. Civilians are dying on all sides and the priority should be to bring this to an end. By seizing these people, Israel is only making matters worse," he said.

He asserted that locking up people like that will not save one life - Palestinian or Israeli. "It will only breed further resentment and further violence," MP Burden stated.

He mentioned that he met Palestinian education minister, Nasser Shaer. four months ago with four of my Parliamentary colleagues. "What he wanted to talk to us about was not how to go to war with Israel, but how to promote a durable peace between Israelis and Palestinians."

Mr. Burden concluded by saying that what they (the Israelis) are doing is also illegal and a number of MPs here in the UK have raised the issue with the Inter Parliamentary Union which upholds the rights of elected parliamentarians to do their jobs free from persecution.

S.A.S. ( 14:58 P) (11:58 GMT)