A Barnet councillor visited one of the most politically challenging areas in the world last week.

Monroe Palmer, ward councillor for Childs Hill, who is also Chairman of the Liberal Democrats Friends of Israel (LBFI), returned last Wednesday from a trip to the Middle East where he met with Israeli politicians, Government officials and Palestine Liberation Organization representatives.

His visit also included a trip to Hadassah hospital, in Jerusalem, where Israeli and Palestinian patients being treated side by side, and to the West Bank where he witnessed first hand the relationship between the Israeli and Palestinian communities.

Mr Palmer, who recently stepped down from his role as Leader of the Barnet Liberal Democrats group, said he was shocked to see how people lived in concrete shelters in Sderot, which is on the boarder with the Gaza Strip.

He added: "The LDFI seeks to inform and explain the situation in Israel, West Bank and Gaza.

"I enjoy explaining to people that the Middle Eastern problem isn't as simple as they make it out to be."

During the trip, which was also attended by MPs Norman Lamb, Willie Rennie and Sandra Gidley, Mr Palmer met members of both the Defence Minister Ehud Barak and ex-brigadier general Amira Dotan, who had that day written a letter to the Israeli Prime Minister.

Mr Palmer said: "She believes that something has got to change at the top to continue the peace process."