ANN Cryer, the MP for Ilkley, has met Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on a fact-finding mission to the area.

Accompanied by five other new British MPs Mrs Cryer was confronted with the complex reality of Middle East politics.

She returned with a deeper understanding of the issues affecting the troubled region where a permanent peace accord seems to be slipping away week by week.

"It was very informative but I would not say the situation is clearer - in fact it is all very confused," said Mrs Cryer.

During the three-day trip the MPs visited East Jerusalem and other occupied territories including the Gaza Strip and the West Bank of the river Jordan.

Mrs Cryer said the Palestinian leader was pessimistic about the prospects of peace because of the Isreali strategy of building more settlements in territory occupied during the Six-Day War of 1967.

"It is a worse situation than it was four years ago - there is no solution in my view unless Isreal stops building settlements - the situation is just hopeless," Mrs Cryer said.

Despite the difficulties, Mrs Cryer said she was able to witness the good work being done at the Palestinian University of Bir Zeit.

She also saw the work being done at the boy's school at Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza where more than 100 pupils are taught each day in shifts.

Mrs Cryer said: "It was just so complex, the situation is not black and white but I learned a great deal. I feel now if I am having to make any decision abour our role in Palestine, I feel I will know what I am talking about.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.