Mideast mapmaking / A belated blueprint for Israeli-Palestinian peace

The long-awaited "road map" to an Israeli-Palestinian settlement was finally unfolded on Wednesday. It will set off a round of active negotiations, given its ambitious timetable of a provisional Palestinian state by the end of this year. Extremists on both sides will be equally active in trying to torpedo it.

The road map was delivered, first, by U.S. Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and then, shortly afterward, by representatives of the "quartet" -- the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia -- to newly appointed Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.

President Bush quickly affirmed the objective of the road map, to make a reality of the vision of two states, a secure Israel and a viable, peaceful, democratic Palestine. The target date for a final settlement is 2005. Secretary of State Colin Powell is scheduled to launch intense diplomacy in the region starting this month.

The likely obstacles to implementing the road map were signaled clearly by a car bomb attack that killed three people in Tel Aviv the day the plan was unveiled. Yesterday, in what Israel said was not an act of retaliation, Israeli troops stormed a Hamas stronghold in the Gaza Strip; a dozen Palestinians, including children, were killed in the resulting battle.

Obviously strong nerves will be required on both sides to keep violence from derailing this plan. A key figure on the Palestinian side will be new security chief Mohammed Dahlan who will be expected by Israel to bell and declaw the Palestinian terrorist cat.

The road map requires the Israelis to dismantle all Jewish settlements established since March 2001. The Israelis won't like that and the Palestinians will say that that approach leaves far too many settlements still in place on their territory. Mr. Sharon, whose commitment to reaching an accord is questionable, is likely to claim that his government will fall, and the negotiation process fail, if Israel is pushed too hard on settlements.

Working in the road map's favor is that the collective prestige of the "quartet" and the fact that all of its members are prepared to work strenuously to implement it. The United States in particular should have leverage with Israel, having just taken off the board the single strongest anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian armed force in the region.

Dramatic as the U.S. victory in Iraq was, the Israeli-Palestinian problem remains the biggest barrier to peace in the Middle East and to long-term understanding between the West and Muslims. It must be resolved.