This AP analysis says that the idea of sketching the basic outline of a Palestinian state is to bolster the moderates, even though the road map’s first step is to dismantle Palestinian terror:
Jumping straight to final status talks would be a departure from the 2003 U.S.-backed “road map” peace plan, which calls for dismantling terror groups, freezing Israeli settlement activity and creating a provisional Palestinian state before a final accord.
Abbas is in no position to dismantle Hamas, which controls the Palestinian Cabinet and parliament. Israel is pressing ahead with West Bank settlement construction, approving a new one just last month. And the Palestinians reject a provisional state, believing it would enable Israel to grab much of the West Bank.
With the road map all but dead, the Palestinians are leading calls to bypass it.
Is it time to consider bypassing the road map?
