The international community and people of Israel and Palestine both pinned high hope on the "Road Map" when it went public in June 2003. Because, the peace plan of the Middle East after the Gulf War in 1991 has been following a zigzagging road. However, the effort remained in vain, and even shattered people's dream for peace to pieces. Sharon's government replaced the "Road Map" with its unilateral action, turning the lively "Road Map" into a map with no road.

Unilateral action plan is a toppling action against the process of peace in Middle East. As we all know, the dawn of peace in the Middle East unveiled after the Cold War. In September 1993, May 1994 and September 1995, Palestinian leader Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister signed agreement on self-government of Palestine and Israel and its implementation agreement and second phase agreement. During the signing, Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was established. Though against many obstacles, Israel generally acknowledged the principle of "land for peace" before Sharon took the office. However, Sharon often made provocation: Palestine and Israel have been landed in a vicious ordeal of gun and fire, blood and tear since he forcibly visited "The Temple Mount" in September 2000 which ignited a new round of Palestine-Israel conflicts. Since taking office, Sharon first smashed almost all the office facilities of Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and "jailed" Arafat in his compound in Ramallah for more than two years. And later he practiced the "selected elimination", assassinated Hamas leaders one after another with crackdown, isolation and blocking, casting aside the "Road Map" plan. The unilateral action plan has in fact destroyed the political framework of peace in the Middle East, putting an end to solving the Middle East issue by way of negotiation and failing the efforts made by the international community and people of Palestine and Israel for peace. "What left for us is only to reject surrender��our only trump is to reject the problem and let the conflicts to continue with no solution, said Amr Mahmoud Moussa, League of Arab States (LAS).

It's a risky game. International analysts held that Sharon put entire political stake on the plan since his government brought out the unilateral action plan last year. Sharon noted many times at cabinet meetings that the government did not allow different opinions on the issue of unilateral action plan, and those who oppose the plan should leave.

As known to the world, the United States took a biased attitude, producing a bad effect on the problem. Moussa said frankly that he never expected that the United States would have go so far as to allow Israel to occupy large amount of Palestinian territory. The United States was initially one of the four parties to formulate the "Road Map", but now, it goes so far to side with Sharon when he wants to tear up the "Road Map". No wonder it is said that the United States which is no longer a mediator, has become Israel's collaborator.

The US's action will definitely rouse a new round of contradictory ripples between the US and Europe. The two sides have been at row on the Iraq issue, and so far haven't remedied the differences while another problem is going to rise. The conflict between Europe and the United States on the Middle East was incurred by the latter part. The "Road Map" plan was outlined by the four parties of the United States, European Union (EU), United Nations (UN) and Russia, but now Sharon's unilateral action shelved the three sides except the United States, the only one that can have influence on Israel. Of course, EU would not fall into the trap. Brian Cowen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ireland, which is now rotating president of EU said, "Road Map" plan is the only mechanism to push forward the Middle East peace process and no unilateral action can bring sustainable peace to the region.

According to Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, all parties concerned should continue to stick to the stand that the final position of Palestine should be solved by Palestine and Israel through negotiation. The four parties concerned should have meetings to study current situation and push ahead the negotiations between Palestine and Israel for the solution of the problem.

By People's Daily Online