Israel: May 17, 2003

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The new peace attempt, called the "road map" depends on Israel agreeing to the deal they went along with 30 days ago, before the Palestinians rejected it and began the terror attacks. The Palestinians must agree to stop the terror attacks. Neither side is sure it can deliver. Over two years of Palestinian terrorist attacks have turned most Israelis against any peace deals. Israelis don't trust the Palestinians, because it is widely known that media and text books in Palestine areas still preach the destruction of Israel, not making peace. The Palestinians are split between those who want to make a deal, and those who want to keep attacking Israelis. Among Israelis, the religious radicals, who preach taking the West Bank and expelling all Palestinians from Israel, are gaining support and respectability. No negotiations will really get very far until Palestinians agree to shut down the terrorists, and actually do it. Not likely for quite a while.