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A New Plan for Peace

The twisted path to peace in the Middle East took two important turns last week. On April 30, Mahmoud Abbas was sworn in as the new Palestinian prime minister. On the same day, an international group presented Israeli and Palestinian leaders with a new "road map" to peace.

The plan aims to end three years of violence in which about 2,300 Palestinians and 760 Israelis have been killed.

The conflict has a long history. Israelis and Palestinians claim the same land as their home. Palestinians have no nation.

Mahmoud Abbas wants to stop the violence against Israel. His new role may weaken support for longtime Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, whom many accuse of aiding terrorism.

The peace plan was prepared by the U.S., the United Nations, the European Union and Russia. It calls for Palestinians to take immediate steps to stop attacks on Israelis. Israel is to remove some settlements on the West Bank and Gaza Strip and to stop building new ones. Both are areas that Palestinians control. Later, a Palestinian nation would be set up.

The plan was met by hope, doubt and violence. New attacks killed three Israelis in Tel Aviv and 12 Palestinians in Gaza.

Clearly, there is much work ahead. "The road map is a guideline, it's not a sacred text," said, Jeff Feltman, a U.S. diplomat. World leaders hope it will steer the Middle East toward a lasting peace.

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