Ami Isseroff

As Ameen Hannoun points out, the roadmap bus seems to be on the road to nowhere. The promises and rumors of Israeli withdrawals and of Palestinian nonviolence get bigger and better each day. In reality however, both sides continue to kill each other, and no meaningful steps for peace are taken by either leadership. Violence begets mistrust and more violence.

The drivers are not going to follow the road map unless the passengers - us - wake up and make them do it. So far though only the opponents of peace have been really vocal. The Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as the Fatah Al-Aqsa Brigades, made their opinions known in explosive and lethal ways, as did the settler extremists who resisted the feeble attempts of the Israeli government to remove illegal outposts. The Israeli government itself thwarted its own announced peace policy by dozens of aggressive actions, including an assassination attempt and an arrest attempt that turned into an assassination. Both the terror attacks of the Palestinians and the assassinations of the Israelis were conveniently timed to help sabotage the launching of the roadmap and to interfere with diplomatic initiatives.

But what about the silent majority in both Palestine and Israel who are supposed to be for peace? They have been, as might be expected - rather silent. Anyone who expected tens of thousands of demonstrators in Rabin square supporting Ariel Sharon's remarks about the evils of occupation was disappointed. Anyone who might expect a large demonstration supporting Abu Mazen's call for an end to violence in Gaza or Ramallah was also disappointed. Being for peace is still not popular, even if it is the avowed policy of the national leadership of both sides.

Not all have been silent however. Last week, Israeli and Palestinian peace groups joined hands to form a human chain for peace in Jerusalem. This brave demonstration did not get the newspaper coverage it deserves. It is an important event for those of us who insist that the silent majority wants peace, and who hope that the roadmap has created an atmosphere that will allow the secret peace supporters to come out of the closet. Photographs from the demonstration are below.

Israeli and Palestinian peace groups "Come out of the closet," Jerusalem, June 14. The signs in Hebrew and Arabic say "Yes to life in peace, security and liberty -Two States for Two Peoples," "No to violence, Yes to Peace" and, quoting Ariel Sharon, "The occupation must be ended"