One peace proposal, presented by the Quartet of the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States on September 17, 2002, was the Road map for peace Israel has also accepted the road map but with 14 “reservations The current Palestinian government rejected the proposal because of these 14 reservations. Israel implemented a controversial disengagement plan proposed by former Primer Minister Ariel Sharon in 2005, when Israel removed all of its civilian and military presence in the Gaza Strip, (namely 21 Jewish settlements there, and four in the West Bank), but continued to supervise and guard the external envelope on land excepting a border crossing with Egypt, which is jointly run by the Palestinian National Authority in conjunction with the European Union. Israel also maintained exclusive control in the air space of Gaza, and continued to conduct military activities, including incursions, in the territory. The Israeli government argues that “as a result, there will be no basis for the claim that the Gaza Strip is occupied territory,” while others argue that the only effect would be that Israel “would be permitted to complete the wall (that is, the Israeli West Bank Barrier) and to maintain the situation in the West Bank as is”. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has stated that further unilateral withdrawals from some West Bank settlements may be undertaken if the peace process continues to be stalled.
After repeated Qassam rocket attacks against Israeli civilian populations and the kidnapping of the 19-year-old Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, Israel launched Operation Summer Rains which effectively reinstituted Israeli dominance over the Gaza Strip. Although some Israelis interpret the 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict as proof that the Palestinians are not able or willing to govern themselves without resorting to terrorism and kidnappings and therefore the disengagement was a serious miscalculation, key members of the Knesse including Prime Minster Olmert said “that Israel has no intention of recapturing the Gaza Strip and that IDF forces will eventually retreat.” Hamas’s victory in the 2006 elections for Palestinian Legislative Council, and Ismail Haniyeh’s ascension to the post of Prime Minister, further complicated the peace process. Hamas openly states that it does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, although they have expressed openness to a hudna in early 2007, Hamas and Fatah met in Saudi Arabia, and reached agreement to form a new unity government. Haniyeh later resigned, and a new unity coalition government of both Fatah and Hamas took office in March 2007. Various foreign governments and organizations continued to debate as to whether the PNA had become a credible negotiating authority, and whether economic and diplomatic sanctions should be lifted.
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