Israeli FM says that unity his country and Western nations will defeat terrorism

Israel's foreign minister said yesterday that Western nations and Israel must unite with moderate Muslim governments in the fight against terrorism.

"I think we have to be united and to combat together this phenomenon," Silvan Shalom said after meeting with Prime Minister Tony Blair. "Extremists are trying to carry out attacks against those countries that share the values of democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law."

He added that "they are trying to carry out attacks against Muslim countries who they believe are too moderate or who have very good relations with the West or with Israel."

Shalom, on a working visit to Britain, said the attacks carried out against London could have taken place anywhere in the world.

"I said to the prime minister, 'we could have seen it in New York, London, Madrid or in moderate Muslim countries like Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia or Bali,"' he said. "They are trying very hard to carry out attacks against all of us and we should work together. We are working together but we should be united in order to prevail," as AP reports.