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Just last night I heard on the BBC that Sharon has decided to accept the Roadmap to Peace and he will present it to his cabinet today. He accepted the roadmap because the US has decided to take into consideration two of his main "concerns" about the roadmap: (1) that the Israeli army should withdraw from the Occupied Territories (OT) and (2) that there should be a freeze on settlement activities. In other words Israel will accept the roadmap to peace if they do not need to withdraw their troops from the occupied territories (OT) and settlements can continue to grow and spread throughout Palestinian lands.

What we are experiencing here in the West Bank hardly seems like a peace process. At present, as international peace observers; - we have had one of our members arrested and threatened with deportation, with no charges having been laid against him - we have had our offices and living quarters raided twice by the Israeli army - we have been told that we may not observe Palestinian children as they go to school - we have been told that we may not enter any "Palestinian" area - once we leave the old city of Hebron, we will not be allowed to return - we have had our movements restricted by a multitude of curfews, just like the Palestinians

With all of these restrictions, we are feeling like rats in a cage. Clearly there is an attempt to shut down our activities here.

What is happening to us is part of a widespread campaign against all international peace groups in the occupied territories. Recently an Israeli organization "Rabbis for Human Rights", has been interrogated by the Israeli Intelligence Services. They fear that after the internationals are expelled from the occupied teritories, then Israeli human rights groups will be targeted and restricted. In their words, the Israeli government does not want any "seeing eye" to behold what they are doing in the OT.

Clearly there is a violent cycle of action and reaction occurring here. From information that we have received, it is now common for Palestinian schools and health clinics to be raided. In reaction, there have been Palestinain suicide bombings. Which is cause and which is effect is a hotly debated subject. The answer seems to depend from where you are standing. In any case, the situation in the OT only continues to worsen. One asks - where is it all going? One thinks of a dreaded 'final solution'. With all the conflicting claims and counterclaims, two things are certain - The Israeli army continues to occupy Palestinian land and settlement expansion continues unabated. It is these two activities that Sharon does not want disrupted by any "peace process".

Shalom, Salama, Peace, - May it come to this land,

Warm greetings to you all, Eric