Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has once again spoken of the “painful concessions” his country is prepared to make for a peace settlement, but thus far it is unclear what these concessions actually are. Does Sharon, who practically coined the phrase “settlement expansion”, really intend to dismantle settlements? Israel keeps 7,700 Jewish settlers in the midst of one million Arabs in Gaza in locations that have no strategic or religious importance. The settlements create endless friction with the Palestinians, breeding hatred and revenge. No wonder then that in poll after poll the majority of Israelis say that Israel should evacuate its settlements from Gaza.

In the West Bank, the Israeli government has estimated the outposts number more than 40. But the Israeli group Peace Now lists more than 100.

Even if Sharon wanted to dismantle settlements, can he? His recent comments about settlements rang alarm bells, sending Israel’s right-wing parties and the settler movement into a spin — even though many of the outposts are isolated and many of them are no bigger than trailers. “The removal of any existing settlement will force us to immediately leave the government,” railed Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the far-right National Union Party. The settlers dusted down plans for a mass campaign plus a blueprint that says the West Bank and Gaza should be divided into eight Jewish and two Arab cantons.

During his state visit to England last week President Bush used unusually harsh language to rebuke Israel, saying it should freeze settlement construction and dismantle unauthorized outposts. Sharon is not buying.

Nor is Bush meeting with much success concerning the separation wall Israel is currently building. Again he urged Israel not to “prejudice final negotiations with walls and barriers.” In fact, Sharon said building of the barrier will be accelerated. It is estimated that the wall will enclose about 77 sq. km (about 30 square miles) of occupied land. And at least 11 Palestinian villages will end up on the Israeli side of the barrier.

Joining Bush in the chorus of denunciation was UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who said last week that Israel was not in compliance with the demand of the General Assembly that it “stop and reverse the construction” of the barrier.

Ahmed Qorei has postponed his first meeting with Sharon as Palestinian prime minister because the Jewish state continues building the wall.

Sharon has long used policies like the siege, assassinations and arrests as a means to distract attention from his strategic goals — the consolidation of the settlements and the building of a barrier defining the territorial base from which he will dictate his terms.

He may ultimately succeed, but not if a principled Palestinian stand hinges on a cease-fire and the road map on a settlement freeze and the dismantling of the barrier.