UK foreign secretary welcomes ME ceasefire

UK Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett on Monday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians. "I welcome the mutual ceasefire in Gaza between the Palestinians and Israel and the public commitments of Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas to make it work," Beckett said in a statement. "It is crucial that all sides do what is necessary to sustain the ceasefire because, as recent events have demonstrated, it is civilians who suffer most through violence, she continued. The British foreign secretary went on to say that all sides need to use this opportunity to take measures to restore confidence and return to the Roadmap.