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Reminding Israel once in a while of the importance of taking advantage of opportunities to forge peace with its surroundings is always welcome.
But it is also necessary that it is reminded more often of its obligations under international law and treaties to bring about justice as much as peace to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
As British Prime Minister Gordon Brown ended his visit to Israel and the West Bank on Monday, it is necessary to place matters within their right perspective.
Brown's pledge of $60 million in aid to the Palestinians should surely be received positively. His call on Israel to stop colony expansion on Palestinian occupied lands is also welcome.
"Colony expansion has made peace harder to achieve. It erodes trust. It heightens Palestinian suffering. It makes the compromises Israel will need to make for peace more difficult," he said.
It is also constructive that he asked Israel to advance an effort and intent on bringing about a lasting historic peace with the Palestinians.
Yet the British prime minister knows too well that mere calls on Israel to commit to the peace process are just not good enough.
Israel has repeatedly flaunted any serious attempt to bring about a lasting peace and has continued to play out its role as a mighty brutal occupying force - turning the lives of the thousands of Palestinians into a daily misery.
Of course, there is always room for a champion for justice and peace. And if Brown truly believes that Israel should seize the opportunity at hand to build bridges of peace with the Palestinians, then this attempt should be reflected on the ground reality.
This would stand as the ultimate test to find out whether his calls are offering verbal hopes for peace or a realistic and practical plan.
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