Former US President Mr Bill Clinton called for renewed efforts to end the protracted conflict in the Middle East in his first public address since leaving the White House last night.
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Mr Bill Clinton
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"We cannot expect peace to be made in an atmosphere of violence," he told an audience of nearly 1,000 people at a fundraiser held at a Jewish community center in Miami, Florida.
"Nobody gives in when somebody's throwing bombs on bullets or even rocks ... We have got to find a way to find mutual respect here.
"In the eight years I served as president, we learned the pain and promise of the pursuit for peace.
"Some of these problems are like old wounds and they have a scab on them, and if you just let them alone, they will heal," Mr Clinton said. "But some problems are like abscessed teeth. If you leave them alone, they get worse and infect the rest of your mouth."
He added that he recently had "a good talk" on the telephone with Israel's new Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon, but declined to give additional details.
AFP