After a major breakthrough in the peace process occurred under President George H.W. Bush and Secretary James Baker at Madrid, the president reemphasized U.S. opposition to Israeli settlements, and even threatened to withhold American financial aid to Prime Minister Shamir as a deterrent. Jim Baker announced at the time, "I don't think there is any greater obstacle to peace than settlement activity."

The assassination of Prime Minister Rabin in 1995 brought a tragic halt to the Oslo peace process, and Israel rejected its major premises after Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon declared it to be, quote, "national suicide."

Although President Clinton made strong efforts to promote peace, most notably at Camp David in 2000, a massive increase of settlers occurred during his administration. By 2001, there were 225,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and Gaza. The best offer made to the Palestinians -- by President Clinton, not Prime Minister Barak -- was to withdraw 20 percent, leaving 180,000 in 209 settlements covering about 5 percent of the land.

The 5 percent figure is quite misleading. It describes only the actual footprints of the settlements. In addition, there are other large areas that have been taken or earmarked for future expansion -- roadways that joined the settlements with each other and to Jerusalem, and life arteries, so-called, that provide water, sewage, electricity and communications. These range in width from 500 to 4,000 meters, and Palestinians cannot use or even cross many of these connecting links.

This honeycomb of settlements and their interconnecting arteries divides the entire West Bank into multiple fragments, often uninhabitable or even unreachable. There are also about a hundred military checkpoints completely surrounding Palestine and along the roads going into and between Palestinian communities.

In 2002, President George W. Bush endorsed an Arab proposal to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for withdrawal to its own borders. And the following year he and other members of the international Quartet reemphasized U.N. Resolution 242 as a basis for a permanent agreement and called for a sovereign Palestinian state side by side with Israel.

Secretary of State Colin Powell stated what is still the current American position concerning Middle East peace, and I quote again: "The Palestinian leadership must end violence, stop incitement and prepare their people for the hard compromises ahead. All in the Arab world must make unmistakably clear, through their own actions, their acceptance of Israel and their commitment to a negotiated settlement. Israel must be willing to end its occupation, consistent with the principles embodied in Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, and accept a viable Palestinian state in which Palestinians can determine their own future on their own land and live in dignity and security."

The PLO accepted the road map, and Israel also announced its acceptance, but with 14 caveats and prerequisites, some of which preclude final peace talks. Let me just list a few:

First, the dismantling of Hamas, collection of all illegal weapons, and their destruction.

Second, cessation of incitement against Israel. But the road map cannot state that Israel must cease violence and incitement against the Palestinians.
Third, Israeli control over Palestine, including the entry and exit of all persons and cargo, plus its "airspace and electromagnetic spectrum." I'm quoting.

Fourth, the waiver of any right of return of refugees to Israel.

Fifth, no discussion of Israeli settlement in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. No discussion of the status of the Palestinian Authority and its institutions in Jerusalem.

And finally, no reference to the key provisions of U.N. Resolution 242.
Begin also promised to freeze settlement activity until permanent peace talks were concluded, but he subsequently stated that his commitment would last only three months.

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