I am quite optimistic about the future for Israel, not exactly because of the Road Map, but perhaps the Road Map will help. Two reasons for hope are (1) the current more positive stance of the American government towards Israel and (2) the new Israeli government policy of increased force and the threat of force against the terrorists.

The israeli government's announcement (sort of) that everyone in Hamas is the enemy of the peace process and is therefore going to be killed – and their showing that they mean business – will rachet up the pressure on everyone in Hamas. Other terrorists will be experiencing increased pressure too: they will be next.

This is also going to increase the pressure on ordinary Hamas-supporting Palestinians. In the past, the Israeli government's policy of avoiding civilian casualties at all costs resulted in terrorists surrounding themselves with human shields. But their new, more forceful policy is such that ordinary Palestinians will now want to avoid having Hamas people in their cars and homes in case they too get killed in Israeli action against the terrorists. They will eventually start to complain when terrorists move next door, not because they have suddenly grown out of their hatred of Jews, but for the simple pragmatic reason of not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. Force and the threat of force is vital here, just as it was vital in Iraq. Reason doesn't work with terrorists and terrorist supporters. Force and the threat of force will concentrate their minds.

The other thing that gives me hope is that the Americans have not come out against this new Israeli policy. The effect of their praising the Palestinian so-called Prime Minister and deeming Hamas the enemy of the peace process provides a way for ordinary Palestinians (with a little push, as above) to jump over to the side of peace.

I just hope that they don't forget the importance of the true democracy bit. Natan Sharansky is right about that.