The "road map" for peace is a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by a "quartet" of international entities: the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations. For other uses and for specific types of plans see Plan (disambiguation. The Quartet on the Middle East, sometimes called the Diplomatic Quartet or Madrid Quartet or simply the Quartet, is a foursome of nations and International The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The principles of the plan were first outlined by U.S. President George W. Bush in a speech on June 24, 2002, in which he called for an independent Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in peace: "The Roadmap represents a starting point toward achieving the vision of two states, a secure State of Israel and a viable, peaceful, democratic Palestine. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Proposals for a Palestinian state (دولة فلسطين refer to the proposed establishment of an independent state for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, which is currently For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. It is the framework for progress towards lasting peace and security in the Middle East. . . "^[1]

Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, United States President George W. Bush, and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon after reading statement to the press during the closing moments of the Red Sea Summit in Aqaba, Jordan, June 4, 2003. Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn Mahmoud Abbas (محمود عباس (born March 26, 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن was elected President The United States of America —commonly referred to as the George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. (אריאל For the town in the West Bank see Aqabah West Bank. Aqaba (العقبة Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.

Concept

In exchange for statehood, the road map requires the Palestinian Authority to make democratic reforms and abandon the use of terrorism. Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion Israel, for its part, must support and accept the emergence of a reformed Palestinian government and end settlement activity of the Gaza Strip and West Bank as the Palestinian terrorist threat is removed. For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. Israeli settlements are communities inhabited by Israelis in territory that was captured as a result of Jordanian attacks during the 1967 Six-Day War. The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria Palestinian political violence or Palestinian terrorism refers to acts of violence committed for political reasons by Palestinians Palestinian groups that support

Process

Part of Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Arab-Israeli conflict series
Israeli-Palestinian peace process
Israel       The West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights1
Negotiating parties
Palestinians	Israel
History of the peace process
Camp David Accords • Madrid Conference • Oslo Accords • Oslo II • Hebron Agreement • Wye River Memorandum • Sharm e-Sheikh memorandum • Camp David 2000 Summit • Taba Summit • Road map • Annapolis Conference
Primary negotiation concerns
Antisemitic incitements • Status of Jerusalem • Israeli settlements • Israeli West Bank barrier • Jewish state • Palestinian political violence • Palestinian refugees • Palestinian state • Places of worship
Current Leaders
Mahmoud Abbas • Salam Fayyad	Ehud Olmert • Shimon Peres
International brokers
Diplomatic Quartet  · Arab League  · Egypt
Other proposals
Beirut Summit • Elon Peace Plan • Lieberman Plan • Geneva Accord • Hudna • Israel's unilateral disengagement plan and Realignment plan • Projects working for peace • Peace Valley plan 1 The Golan Heights are not part of Israeli-Palestinian track v • d • e

The road map comprises three goal-driven phases with the ultimate goal of ending the conflict as early as 2005. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west Borders of Israel The Golan Heights ( الجولان al-Jawlān, הגולן ha-Golan) is a strategic Plateau and mountainous Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, The Madrid Conference was hosted by the government of Spain and co-sponsored by the USA and the USSR Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip or Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement, or simply the Interim Agreement, also known as Oslo 2 (or Protocol Concerning the Redeployment in Hebron, also known as The Hebron Protocol or Hebron Agreement, began January 7 and was concluded from January The Wye River Memorandum was a political agreement negotiated to implement the earlier Interim Agreement of 28 September 1995 brokered by the United States between The Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David of July 2000 took place between United States President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister The Taba summit (also known as Taba Summit, Taba Talks, Taba Conference, Taba, or permanent status talks at Taba) were talks between For the revolutionary legislature of the Colony of Maryland see Annapolis Convention (1774-1776. Jewish exodus from Arab lands|Islam and Antisemitism|Anti Jewish Arabism Oxymoronic, as Israel has De facto control over all of Jerusalem. However there are many differing legal and diplomatic positions on Jerusalem. Israeli settlements are communities inhabited by Israelis in territory that was captured as a result of Jordanian attacks during the 1967 Six-Day War. West bank walljpg|thumb|Aerial view looking east from the Israeli side The terms " Jewish state " and " homeland of the Jewish people " are used to describe the State of Israel and refer to its status as a Nation-state Palestinian political violence or Palestinian terrorism refers to acts of violence committed for political reasons by Palestinians Palestinian groups that support Proposals for a Palestinian state (دولة فلسطين refer to the proposed establishment of an independent state for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, which is currently Mahmoud Abbas (محمود عباس (born March 26, 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن was elected President Dr Salam Fayyad (سلام فياض b 1952 is a Palestinian politician who on June 15, 2007, was appointed the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Ehud Olmert (אהוד אולמרט ɛˈhud ˈolmeʁt born September 30, 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel and the former leader (שמעון פרס born Szymon Perski on August 2 1923, is the ninth President of the State of Israel. The Quartet on the Middle East, sometimes called the Diplomatic Quartet or Madrid Quartet or simply the Quartet, is a foursome of nations and International The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Beirut Summit (also known as the Arab Summit Conference) was a meeting of the Arab League in Beirut, Lebanon in March 2002 to The Elon Peace Plan (now "The Israeli Initiative", formerly "The Right Road to Peace") is a solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Lieberman Plan proposed May 2004, also known in Israel as the "Populated-Area Exchange Plan" was proposed by Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the This article is about the proposal for peace between Israel and Palestine Hudna (هدنة is an Arabic term meaning " Truce " or " Armistice " as well as "calm" or "quiet" coming Israel's unilateral disengagement plan ( Hebrew: תוכנית ההתנתקות Tokhnit HaHitnatkut or תוכנית ההינתקות Tokhnit HaHinatkut in The realignment plan (תוכנית ההתכנסות (originally dubbed the "convergence plan" was formulated and introduced to the Israeli public by prime minister Projects that work to foster peaceful and productive co-existence between Israelis and Arabs (including Palestinians fall into various categories The Valley of Peace initiative is an effort to promote economic cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians. Borders of Israel The Golan Heights ( الجولان al-Jawlān, הגולן ha-Golan) is a strategic Plateau and mountainous Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. However, as a performance-based plan, progress will require and depend upon the good faith efforts of the parties, and their compliance with each of the obligations quartet put the plan together, with amendments following consultations with Israelis and Palestinians:

• Phase I (as early as May 2003): End to Palestinian violence; Palestinian political reform; Israeli withdrawal and freeze on settlement expansion; Palestinian elections. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office
• Phase II (as early as June-Dec 2003): International Conference to support Palestinian economic recovery and launch a process, leading to establishment of an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders; revival of multilateral engagement on issues including regional water resources, environment, economic development, refugees, and arms control issues; Arab states restore pre-intifada links to Israel (trade offices, etc. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ).

• Phase III (as early as 2004-2005): second international conference; permanent status agreement and end of conflict; agreement on final borders, clarification of the highly controversial question of the fate of Jerusalem, refugees and settlements; Arab state to agree to peace deals with Israel.

Start of implementation

The first step on the road map was the appointment of the first-ever Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (also known as Abu Mazen) by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. Mahmoud Abbas (محمود عباس (born March 26, 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن was elected President Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini ( Arabic: محمد عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني (August 24 1929 – November 11 The United States and Israel demanded that Arafat be neutralized or sidelined in the road map process, claiming that he had not done enough to stop Palestinian attacks against Israelis while in charge. The United States refused to release the road map until a Palestinian Prime Minister was in place. Abbas was appointed on March 19, 2003, clearing the way for the release of the road map's details on April 30, 2003. Events 1279 - A Mongolian victory in the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.

On May 27, 2003, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stated that the "occupation" of Palestinian territories was "a terrible thing for Israel and for the Palestinians" and "can't continue endlessly. Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. (אריאל " Sharon's phraseology prompted shock from many in Israel, leading to a clarification that by "occupation," Sharon meant control of millions of Palestinian lives rather than actual physical occupation of land. Nevertheless, outsiders believed that Sharon knew what he was saying when he used the word "occupation" and was carefully offering the road map for peace a chance, despite his traditionally hawkish views towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

President Bush visited the Middle East from June 2-4 2003 for two summits in an attempt to push the road map as part of a seven-day overseas trip through Europe and Russia. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. On June 2, Israel freed about 100 Palestinian political prisoners before the first summit in Egypt as a sign of goodwill. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. In Egypt on June 3, President Bush met with the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain, and with Prime Minister Abbas. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf The Arab leaders announced their support for the road map and promised to work on cutting off funding to "terrorist groups. " On June 4, Bush headed to Jordan to meet directly with Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas.

Halt in implementation

After Bush left the region, a series of retaliatory attacks by Israelis and Palestinians continued, threatening to derail the road map. On June 5, 2003, the bodies of two Israelis were found near Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem, beaten and stabbed to death. Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Hadassah Medical Center (מרכז רפואי הדסה includes two University hospitals at Ein Kerem and Mount Scopus in Jerusalem, On June 8, 2003, Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi directed an attack that killed four Israeli soldiers at the Erez Checkpoint in the Gaza Strip. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Dr Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi (عبدالعزيز الرنتيسي ( October 23, 1947 – was the co-founder of the militant Palestinian Islamist organization On June 10, 2003, Israeli helicopters fired missiles at a car in Gaza in a failed attempt to assassinate Rantissi; two Palestinians were killed. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. The next day, a Palestinian suicide bomber killed 17 passengers and bystanders on an Israeli bus. This article is about suicide attacks for political and/or military reasons In the following few days, Israel continued its targeting of Hamas leaders with new helicopter attacks.

On June 29, 2003, a tentative cease-fire was reached between the Palestinian Authority and four major Palestinian groups. Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Islamic Jihad and Hamas announced a joint three-month cease-fire, while Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction declared a six-month truce. The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine (حركة الجهاد الإسلامي في فلسطين - Harakat al-Jihād al-Islāmi fi Filastīn Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير The cease-fire was later joined by the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP ( Arabic: ' الجبهة الديموقراطية لتحرير فلسطين', transliterated Al-Jabha One condition of maintaining the truce was a demand for the release of prisoners from Israeli jails, which was not part of the road map process. Despite this, Israel withdrew troops from the northern Gaza Strip and was discussing the transfer of territory to Palestinian control. The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west The apparent breakthrough coincided with a visit to the region by United States National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Adviser (abbreviated NSA, or sometimes ANSA Condoleezza Rice (born November 14 1954 is the 66th United States

On July 1, 2003, in Jerusalem, Kayla Cannon held a first-ever ceremonial opening to peace talks, televised live in both Arabic and Hebrew. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Both leaders said the violence had gone on too long and that they were committed to the U. S. -led road map for peace. On July 2, Israeli troops pulled out of Bethlehem and transferred control to Palestinian security forces. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Bethlehem ( بيت لحم,, lit "House of Meat" Βηθλεέμ Bethleém בית לחם Beit Lehem, lit "House of Bread" is a The plan required that Palestinian police take over from withdrawing Israeli forces and stop any anti-Israeli militant attacks. At the same time, the U. S. announced a $30 million aid package to the Palestinian Authority to help rebuild infrastructure destroyed by Israeli incursions.

By the end of 2003, the Palestinian Authority had not prevented Palestinian terrorism, and Israel had neither withdrawn from Palestinian areas occupied since September 28, 2000, nor frozen settlement expansion. Palestinian political violence or Palestinian terrorism refers to acts of violence committed for political reasons by Palestinians Palestinian groups that support Events 48 BC - Pompey the Great is assassinated on orders of King Ptolemy of Egypt after landing in Egypt. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Thus the parties have not complied with the requirements of Phase I of the road map and no further progress on the road map has been made. It is thus currently effectively in limbo.

On February 13, 2004 the United States government decided that it would endorse Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan for a unilateral withdrawal of most Israeli settlements from the Gaza Strip, adding that ". Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Unilateralism ("one+side -ism " is any doctrine or agenda that supports one-sided action The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west . . negotiations were impossible because of Palestinian recalcitrance. "[1]

Continuation of the road map

On April 14, 2004, President George W. Bush wrote a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon seeming to herald two significant changes or increased specifications to longstanding but ambiguous U. Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. S. policy which had most recently been embodied in the road map. For the first time during the road map process, Bush indicated his expectations as to the outcome of the final status negotiations. The letter was widely seen as a triumph for Sharon [2], since Bush's expectations seemed to favor Israel on two highly contentious issues. Regarding final borders, the letter stated: "In light of new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli population centers, it is unrealistic that the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949, and all previous efforts to negotiate a two-state solution have reached the same conclusion. It is realistic to expect that any final status agreement will only be achieved on the basis of mutually agreed changes that reflect these realities. . . ". Second, regarding the Palestinian refugees' right of return, Bush also stated: "It seems clear that an agreed, just, fair and realistic framework for a solution to the Palestinian refugee issue as part of any final status agreement will need to be found through the establishment of a Palestinian state and the settling of Palestinian refugees there rather than Israel. The term right of return refers to the principle in International law that members of an Ethnic or National group have a right to Immigration " [3]

On May 8, 2004 in an interview with Egypt's Al-Ahram newspaper, President George W. Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Al-Ahram ( Arabic: الأهرام, literally "The Pyramids" founded in 1875 is one of the most widely circulating Egyptian daily newspapers Bush clarified the current situation regarding the road map stating:

Well, 2005 may be hard, since 2005 is right around the corner. I readily concede the date has slipped some, primarily because violence sprung up. When I laid out the date of 2005, I believe it was around the time I went to Aqaba, Jordan. It was a very meaningful moment, where former Prime Minister Abu Mazen, myself, Prime Minister Sharon and His Majesty, the King of Jordan, stood up and pledged to work together.

But we hit a bump in the road -- violence, as well as Abu Mazen being replaced, which changed the dynamic. I don't want to make any excuses, but nevertheless, I think the timetable of 2005 isn't as realistic as it was two years ago. Nevertheless, I do think we ought to push hard as fast as possible to get a state in place.

And I repeat to you, sir, that part of my frustrations were alleviated with the Quartet making the statement it made the other day -- the Quartet being the EU, Russia, United Nations and the United States, working together. I think we can get the World Bank involved. But there is a certain sense of responsibility that falls upon the Palestinians, reform-minded Palestinians to step up and say, yes, we accept these institutions necessary for a peaceful state to emerge. [4]

On July 18, 2004, United States President George W. Bush stated that the establishment of a Palestinian state by the end of 2005 was unlikely due to instability and violence in the Palestinian Authority. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The United States of America —commonly referred to as the President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. (Le Figaro)

In November of 2004 Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died aged 75 in a French hospital. Arafat's powers were divided among his officials, with Mahmoud Abbas elected head of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Rawhi Fattuh sworn in as acting president of the Palestinian Authority. [5]

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said the death could be a turning point for peace if the Palestinians "ceased terrorism" and waged a "war on terror".

The White House simply described the death as a "significant moment in Palestinian history", and offered condolences.

On 8 February 2005, the leaders of Israel, Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority came together at Sharm el-Sheikh for a summit meeting at which they declared their continuing support for the road map. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Sharm el Sheikh (شرم الشيخ Sharm al-Shaykh) often known simply as "Sharm" is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in The Sharm el-Sheikh Summit of 2005 took place on February 8, ( 2005) when four Middle Eastern leaders gathered at Sharm el-Sheikh, a town at

In his May 26, 2005 joint press conference with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the Rose Garden, President Bush said:

Any final status agreement must be reached between the two parties, and changes to the 1949 Armistice lines must be mutually agreed to. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Mahmoud Abbas (محمود عباس (born March 26, 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن was elected President The White House Rose Garden is a Garden bordering the Oval Office and the West Wing of the White House. The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and its neighbors Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan A viable two-state solution must ensure contiguity of the West Bank, and a state of scattered territories will not work. There must also be meaningful linkages between the West Bank and Gaza. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria This is the position of the United States today, it will be the position of the United States at the time of final status negotiations. [6]

This statement was widely seen as a triumph for Abbas, as many commentators view it as contradictory to his April 14, 2004 letter[7]. The Bush administration has made no attempts to clarify any perceived discrepancies between the two statements.

In August 2005, the Israelis started their planned disengagement from the Gaza Strip, removing all of its settlements from this area and from a portion of the West Bank. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Israel's unilateral disengagement plan ( Hebrew: תוכנית ההתנתקות Tokhnit HaHitnatkut or תוכנית ההינתקות Tokhnit HaHinatkut in This was widely endorsed around the world and the process, although unilateral on Israel's part, was co-ordinated with the Palestinian Authority.

In early January 2006, Sharon suffered a major stroke and did not awake from an induced coma. [8]

With Sharon in a serious condition in hospital, his powers were transferred to his deputy, Finance Minister Ehud Olmert. [9] On March 28, 2006 Knesset elections were held, and Olmert's party, Kadima, won the most seats. On April 14, 2006 Sharon was declared permanently incapacitated, and Olmert was named interim Prime Minister.

On 4 June, 2006 Ehud Olmert announced he will meet Mahmoud Abbas to resume talks on the Road map for peace. Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. Ehud Olmert (אהוד אולמרט ɛˈhud ˈolmeʁt born September 30, 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel and the former leader Mahmoud Abbas (محمود عباس (born March 26, 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن was elected President Olmert and Abbas joined breakfast with King Abdullah II of Jordan on 22 June 2006 in Petra. Abdullah II bin al-Hussein King of Jordan ( الملك عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين al-Malik ʿAbdullāh aṯ-ṯānī bin al-Ḥusayn born 30 Petra (from "petra" rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء Al-Batrāʾ) is an archaeological site in the Arabah ^[2] They pledged to meet again in coming weeks. ^[3]

On 22 June, Hamas accepts parts of the prisoners' document, which calls for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 borders and the creation of a Palestinian state. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة The " Prisoners' Document," officially the National Reconciliation Document, is a document written in 2006 by Palestinian prisoners who were being held in On 27 June, 2006 Hamas and Fatah both accept the document fully. Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة Fatah (فتح literally opening, is a reverse Acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (حركة التحرير ^[4]

2006: hostilities resume

In January 2006, the Islamic militant group Hamas won a surprise victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections. The preliminary results gave Hamas 76 of the 132 seats in the chamber, with the ruling Fatah party trailing with 43. [10]

Both Israel and the U. S. announced that they would not deal with Hamas. In Israel, Interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated, "Israel will not conduct any negotiation with a Palestinian government if it includes any members of an armed terror organization that calls for Israel's destruction. " Bush said the U. S would not deal with Hamas until it renounced its call to destroy Israel. But Hamas co-founder Mahmoud Zahhar refused to renounce violence. "We are not playing terrorism or violence. We are under occupation," he told BBC World TV. [11]

In mid-2006, the 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict started between Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces in the Gaza strip. Not long after, clashes with Hezbollah in Lebanon precipitated the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. Hezbollah (حزب الله, literally " party of God " is a Shi'a Islamic political and Paramilitary organisation Background See also Israel-Lebanon conflict The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO had engaged in cross-border attacks from Southern Lebanon This conflict had a profound impact on the Middle-East crisis surrounding Israel. Controversial armament shipments from the USA were "rushed" to Israel[12], inducing Arab resentment. [13].

The crisis caused many analysts to declare the road map dead, or at least severely strained.

In October 2006, it was revealed in a Haaretz expose that rampant construction of settlements was ongoing in the West Bank, contrary to Israeli promises to the United States to halt settlement construction. (הארץ "The land" referring to the Land of Israel) founded in 1918 is Israel 's oldest Daily newspaper. [14] According to the report, many of these settlements were built on private Palestinian property, including properties previously guaranteed by Israel. The report was allegedly kept secret in order to avoid a political crisis with the US.

As of mid-June 2007, a Palestinian civil conflict was unfolding, as Hamas had taken control of the Gaza Strip from the Fatah-led forces while Fatah controlled most of the West Bank.

See also

• One State Solution
• Elon Peace Plan

Arab-Israeli peace diplomacy and treaties

• Paris Peace Conference, 1919
• Faisal-Weizmann Agreement (1919)
• 1949 Armistice Agreements
• Camp David Accords (1978)
• Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty (1979)
• Madrid Conference of 1991
• Oslo Accords (1993)
• Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace (1994)
• Camp David 2000 Summit
• Peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
• Projects working for peace among Israelis and Arabs
• List of Middle East peace proposals
• International law and the Arab-Israeli conflict
• Sharm el-Sheikh Summit of 2005

References

External links

• Full text of the "road map" - April 30, 2003
• Text of Palestinian truces - June 29, 2003
• Hamas vows to sabotage blueprint for Palestinian state
• Abbas: I avoided Road Map compliance
• Is the 2003 Roadmap an acceptable solution to the Israeli - Palestinian conflict?
• Hanan Ashwari on expected text of the Road Map written October 28, 2002
• "A Shot at Peace": Can the U.S. Enforce the "Road Map"
• Analysis of the Sharon government's strategy towards the Road map - by Uri Avnery, 25. Uri Avnery (אורי אבנרי also transliterated Uri Avneri, born September 10, 1923 in Beckum, Germany as Helmut Ostermann August 2003
• Open Directory Project - Road Map, 2003 directory category