It has been two years since the Mideast peace process began to unravel, throwing Israel and the Palestinians into recurring bouts of violence. The cycle of bloodshed shows no signs of ending anytime soon, with Palestinians repeating terrorist assaults on Israeli citizens and Israel retaliating by military force. The whole situation is so complex that there are no clear prospects for a sustainable solution. But the fundamental cause of the conflict is clear: Israel's continued occupation of Palestinian territories in disregard of United Nations resolutions.

International attention is now riveted on the U.N. Security Council debate on a U.S.-sponsored resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq. There is no question that Iraq has repeatedly violated Security Council resolutions. But it is also true that Israel has frequently ignored various U.N. resolutions. The U.N. may be criticized as applying a "double standard" if it approves a war with Iraq on grounds of Iraqi violations while blinking at Israeli breaches.

Iraq must comply fully with Council resolutions related to weapons of mass destruction. Israel must also honor U.N. resolutions calling for withdrawals from occupied Palestinian territories. In August and September, the world body passed two more similar resolutions. The Israeli government should listen to international opinion and explore avenues to peace with the Palestinians.