Cherie's suicide bombing gaffe

Cherie Blair has apologised for comments she made about the Middle East crisis which appeared to show sympathy with Palestinian suicide bombers, who earlier had killed 19 Israelis.

A spokeswoman for Mrs Blair said today: "If any offence has been taken from the interpretation of her comments then Mrs Blair is obviously sorry."

The Prime Minister's wife sparked fury among several parties earlier today after speaking to reporters at the launch of a £500,000 charity appeal for Medical Aid for Palestinians with Queen Rania of Jordan.

She told them: "As long as young people feel they have got no hope but to blow themselves up you are never going to make progress."

A bus packed with schoolchildren was blown to pieces by a suicide bomber in Jerusalem today, in scenes of horrific carnage. At least 10 of the 19 victims were children.

All sides at Westminster were astounded that Mrs Blair should have gone public at such a sensitive time - and many were outraged that she appeared to be taking sides.

Tory shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram said: "These words will cause massive offence to the families of schoolchildren and others whose lives were cruelly and brutally ended this morning."

Those present at the charity event, in Islington, said Mrs Blair did not voice any further opinions. But her comment as it stood was in the sharpest contrast with the line taken by ministers from Tony Blair down, who have been at pains to condemn all terrorist violence and to maintain an even-handed stance towards Israel and the Palestinians.

Later in the day the Prime Minister spoke on television to defend his wife's remarks, saying: "First of all I hope that no-one misdescribes her sentiments, or mine or anyone elses's.

"Terrorism offers absolutely no future, no way out of that process whatsoever. But of course it is true that we need to make sure that there is hope for the future and the hope lies in the political process taking the place of the extremists, the terrorists and the suicide bombers.

"And I am sure that is what Cherie was saying."

The Palestinian attacker struck today just before 8am while the bus - which also carried office workers - waited at lights at a crowded intersection in the Patt district, near a shopping mall.

At least 52 people were injured, four critically, by the blast which tore the roof and sides off the bus. The bomb went off 150 yards from the Ort Spanian high school, where staff and students were saying prayers. Education Minister Limor Livnat said seven students from that school were among the dead and wounded.

The bombing comes amid growing controversy over Israel's project, launched on Sunday, to build a 70-mile wall and electrified fence along the West Bank border.

The attacker, described as "a fat man in a red shirt", used nail-studded explosives. He was also killed, but the authorities immediately warned that more suicide bombers are planning to strike.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but prime minister Ariel Sharon rushed to the scene and promised to step up the fight against "Palestinian terror". Clearly outraged, Mr Sharon walked past a row of bodies and questioned the intentions of the Palestinians.

"The terrible sights we have seen here are stronger than any words," he said. "It is interesting to know what kind of Palestinian state they mean. What Palestinian state? This is a continuation of Palestinian terrorism, and against that terrorism we have to fight and struggle - and that is what we will do."

David Baker, an official in the prime minister's office, held Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority responsible, saying it had done nothing to prevent bombings. "The Palestinian Authority is drenched in terror. This terror has seeped into Palestinian society."

In the minutes after the blast, a distraught reporter from Israel Radio told millions of listeners: "It's a major attack with many casualties. Many, many casualties." One woman was screaming at volunteers at the scene, "Where is my sister? Where is my sister?"

Shalom Sabag, a motorist who was first to the scene, said: "I took off the bodies of a two girls and a man. There was one girl I cannot forget. She had a long braid down her back and she lay on her stomach."

Many children take the bus, the 32A from Gilo, to school every day. High school teacher Ruth Elmaliach said she was in her car when the bomb went off. "I'm sure our students were on the bus. I saw how the bus blew up.

"The bus is always packed at this hour. Now we're checking to see if all the students have arrived but I'm afraid some of them have not."

Police have been on high alert since receiving warnings yesterday of a planned suicide attack in Jerusalem. Checkpoints have been put up throughout the city and security forces have been trying to locate the bomber by helicopter.

The Palestinian Authority quickly condemned today's atrocity and denied Israeli accusations that it was to blame.

"The Palestinian Authority condemns this attack and repeats its position of not condoning the killing of civilians, both Palestinians and Israelis," cabinet minister Saeb Erekat told CNN.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: "The detonation of a bomb on a bus carrying schoolchildren is an act of evil beyond words. My heart goes out to the families of the victims."

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