Both Israeli and US sources seem to indicate that an international peace conference will take place as early as mid July, 2002. The conference, which is intended to include the major players in the Middle East conflict, is being coordinated by the US primarily with Saudi Crown Prince Abdallah, with the knowledge of Egyptian, Jordanian, Syrian, and Israeli leaders.

The seemingly inevitable peace conference must address the real causes of the conflict, taking into serious consideration the root causes of the ongoing cycle of violence. Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories must be fully addressed and put to an end, and international efforts must be focused on implementing UN Resolutions 242, 338, and the land for peace equation.

Without a real commitment to end the occupation, any peace conference is doomed to failure. Without a just solution to the Palestinian question, the suffering of both Palestinians and Israelis will continue.