Little Optimism While a tense quiet reigned in Ramallah, riots took place in Nablus, with youths throwing stones and improvised explosives at Israeli soldiers. Palestinians aren't buoyed by summit talks. In the Gaza Strip, hundreds of Hamas supporters demonstrated against this week's summits. "The purpose of this summit is to guarantee American hegemony in the region," said Hamas spiritual leader Sheik Ahmad Yassin, who attended one demonstration. The only ray of light, as far as the Palestinians were concerned, was the release Tuesday of some 100 prisoners, among them Ahmad Jabara, who had served 27 years in prison for placing a booby- trapped refrigerator in Jerusalem, killing 14 Israelis and wounding dozens. Jabara, 68, was the longest serving Palestinian prisoner. Abbas specifically had requested his release and Sharon had consented, though Jabara fell into the category of prisoners "with blood on their hands" whom Israel has been refusing to free. As Jabara headed toward Ramallah for a personal welcome from Arafat, the cab drivers stuck on the road to Hizmeh suddenly turned on their cars and sped away over the hilly terrain, taking advantage of the fact that the army patrol was no longer there — even though the soldiers had kept the keys. Only one driver was left behind. "I forgot to carry a spare key," he explained. fl GIL SEDAN Jewish Telegraphic Agency Ramallah, West Bank alestinians in the West Bank hardly seemed optimistic about the prospects for peace this week. On the road between Ramallah and the West Bank village of Hizmeh on June 3, several yellow cabs were parked, unable to move: Israeli soldiers had confiscated the keys in an effort to control Palestinian movement in the region. A curfew was clamped on Ramallah following intel- ligence reports that terrorists were on their way to hit Jerusalem. The drivers were not allowed either to con- tinue to their destinations or return to Ramallah. "Damned be both Sharon and Abu Mazen," cried one driver, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his counterpart in the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. "They are the real ter- rorists. If it had not been for them, everything would have been much better." As the driver was talking, long lines of Palestinians El Gaza Protest made their way on foot to their homes. Ordinary Palestinians in the West Bank didn't see the summits making a difference. "Sharon cannot change his coat," said Khamis Abu Ramila, a member of the citizens committee in the village of Kfar Aqab. "He has spent the greater part of his life building settlements; do you really believe that he will be able to tear to pieces his life project? That would mean admitting that he has erred throughout his life." Indeed, distrust was more prevalent than hope. Due to the curfew, Ramallah seemed deserted, its streets empty and shops closed. Here and there, youths ignit- ed tires and improvised road blocks, throwing stones at the few Israeli military vehicles passing by. Only for a brief while did the city awaken, as a motorcade passed from the southern checkpost to P.A. President Yasser Arafat's headquarters in the heart of the city. The motorcade was carrying the eldest Palestinian security prisoner, released by Israel on Tuesday in a goodwill gesture toward the Palestinians and Americans — one that seemed to earn Israel little good will. Bush's Mideast Timeline Washington/JTA — Since June 24, 2002, when he made a landmark speech, U.S. President George W Bush has become increasingly involved in the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Those efforts peaked June 4 when he met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. The following is a timeline of U.S. engagement in the last year: Bush calls on the • June 24, 2002 Palestinians to elect new leaders, eradi- cate terrorism and create institutional reforms, with the vision of a Palestinian state by 2005. In the speech, Bush also calls for Israel to withdraw to its September 2000 borders and to end its settlement activity as progress is made toward security. Bush chooses • Sept. 30, 2002 to not honor congressional provisions that recognize Jerusalem as Israel's cap- ital. He argues that it would interfere with the president's authority to for- mulate foreign policy. Drafts of the • October 2002 road map for Israeli-Palestinian peace, crafted by the Quartet — the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia — are — — — leaked to the media. The plan calls for a three-staged approach to peace, lead- ing to an interim Palestinian state after elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the creation of a permanent state at the end of the road. Israelis argue that progress on the road map is based on a timeline, rather than meas- uring compliance with the plan. William Burns, • October 2002 the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, travels to the Middle East. Israeli leaders complain that the road map does not make spe- cific demands on the Palestinians to prevent terror before Israel withdraws to the lines that existed before the Palestinian intifada began in September 2000. Bush and • Oct. 16, 2002 Sharon meet in Washington. Sharon agrees to release $400 million in Palestinian tax revenue that had been frozen, and Bush gives Sharon a draft version of the road map. The two leaders also work to coordinate the right to retaliate if attacked by Iraq. Elliott Abrams • December 2002 is named the senior director for Near East and South Asian affairs at the — — — National Security Council. Abrams is a key ally to many American Jewish lead- ers and becomes a key liaison among the White House, Israel and the Jewish community on Middle East matters. Leaders of the • Dec. 20, 2002 Quartet meet at the White House, but do not officially unveil the road map. Sharon had argued that presentation of the peace plan would interfere with his re-election campaign, and Bush acquiesces. Sharon is re-elected a month later. In a speech • Feb. 26, 2003 enunciating his rationale for war against Iraq, Bush says a change in regime in Iraq would create an open- ing for movement on the Israeli- Palestinian front by ridding Palestinian terrorists of a major source of funding. Abbas is • March 10, 2003 appointed the first Palestinian prime minister. It will take him more than a month to create a cabinet. A U.S. - led • March 19, 2003 war against Iraq commences. It will officially end May 1. The road map is • April 30, 2003 officially delivered to Sharon and Abbas. — — — — — • May 17, 2003 — Sharon and Abbas meet face to face for the first time. Sharon cancels a • May 18, 2003 planned trip to Washington and a meeting with Bush after a bus bomb- ing in Jerusalem kills seven people and wounds 20. After White • May 23, 2003 House officials acknowledge Israel's concerns about the road map in a statement, Sharon officially accepts it. Two days later, the Israeli Cabinet approves the plan as well. Bush meets with • June 3, 2003 Arab leaders in Egypt. He says Israel "must deal with the settlements" and make sure there is a contiguous Palestinian state. Arab leaders endorse the road map and agree to crack down on terrorism and its sources of funding. Bush meets in • June 4, 2003 Aqaba, Jordan, with Sharon, Abbas and Jordan's King Abdullah. Abbas calls for an end to the Palestinian "armed intifa- da' and Sharon says that he under- stands the Palestinians' need for "territo- rial continuity" in the West Bank. Bush names John Wolf as a new Middle East envoy, charged with monitoring imple- mentation of the road map. Fl — — — — 6/ 6 2003 17