A Likud vote against the creation of a Palestinian state in Tel Aviv yesterday, Sunday, May 13, 2002, only seems to reassert Israel's blatant attempts to undermine and deny the existence of the Palestinian people, let alone their wellbeing and legitimate aspirations for freedom and independence.

When the Palestinian-Israeli peace process was launched in Madrid in 1990, both the Palestinian people and leadership realized the inevitability of a historical compromise by accepting to create a Palestinian state on 22% of Historical Palestine (i.e. the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip), in accordance with UN Resolutions 242, 338, and the 'land for peace' equation. Today, as the Israeli people tragically rally behind an extremist Israeli government, under the leadership of Ariel Sharon, these founding principles for peace in the region are shattered, with heavy cost to both Palestinians and Israelis, adding new momentum to an already volatile combination of regional instability and conflict.

Until the Israeli people and leadership realize the inevitability and necessity of an independent Palestinian state within the June 1967 boundaries, and an end to Israel's occupation, regional instability will continue to destroy the prospects of peace.