It's not the settlements that threaten peace talks. A house does not threaten anyone's peace. And it's not the tanks that threate peace talks. It's the terrorism that engenders the tanks that threatens the peace talks. Please get your facts in the correct order.

Anne K, PT,

Immediately before the "historic"conference between Ehud Olmert and Mehmood Abbas,Israel announces that its tank force has carried out a major"incursion"into Gaza,killing eight militants and expansion of the Har Homa Jewish settlement so as to complete the encirclement of the old city of East Jerusalem (occupied by Israel in 1967) has been approved.Not exactly what anyone interested in genuine peace would expect.But these actions only conform to the standard pattern of "negotiations"between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
With continuing settlement activity,how long will it be before it becomes obvious to all and sundry that the establishment of any kind of Palestinian state from which Jewish settlements are excluded is just not possible?
What will be the available choices then?

Afzal A. Neseem, Lincoln, Nebraska

All the peace efforts to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict have been waste of time and effort. It has been demonstrated time and again that UN, the world body that has passed numerous sanctions against mostly Muslim countries, has no jurisdiction over Israel. The peace meetings build expectations among the Palestinians and the time and again failures shatter the pent-up hopes leading to frustration and anger. Israel has been successful in grabbing land while diverting the attention of the World to staged peace conferences. This should lead one to conclude that peace will not happen unless all the lands in the West Bank and the Gaza have been cleared of the Arab inhabitants. This sentiment was aired by one of the Israeli Cabinet member when he wanted to know what to do with the a million Arabs who live in Israel.

The Palestinians have been paying with their lives and assets for the crimes of Hitler since the creation of Israel. If the Western world is serious to bring peace to the Palestine, they need to exercise what they preach. There exist UN resolutions that prohibited Israel from building any settlements in the conquered lands. Time and again Israel ignored these directives under the protective umbrella of the USA. Sanctions, on the other hand, are fiercely pursued against Muslim countries whose actions displease the West. It seems that the West does not have the will to do what is required. Israel could end up as an apartheid state or continue its policy of expelling the Palestinians. Such policies will isolate Israel as US influence gives way to emerging economies such as China, India and Russia

Mac Qurashi , Leesburg, FL, USA