Rampant terrorism and settlement problems are two sides of the same twisted coin, and the Israel-Palestine Liberation Organization peace initiative is in danger of being flipped one too many times.

With centuries-old conflicts between Jews and Arabs on the brink of compromise, Israel must keep in mind that the road to peace is paved with good intentions and cooperation.

The Israeli government recently approved a housing plan that would put 20,000 Jewish settlers in the areas around Jerusalem, which is at the core of the Arab-Israeli dispute. The plan will increase the population of the settlements by about 50 percent, and significantly strengthen the Israeli presence in Jerusalem.

However, that plan goes against Israel's original promise to curtail the building of settlements until the two sides achieved a more detailed peace. If there ever was a straw that broke the camel's back, this is it.

The PLO had warned that expansions could jeopardize peace talks. And although no act of terrorism is justified, by continuing to build settlements the Israelis essentially asked for last week's bombing that killed 19 people.

However, partial blame for the continued problems belongs to the PLO leader, Yasir Arafat. Arafat has been unable to control numerous militant splinter organizations. If peace is the ultimate goal, Arafat must work for cohesion among the various factions of Palestinians.

This is a conflict that has existed for thousands of years. Although Israelis have claimed that they inhabited the land first, Arabs are justified in their argument that they were unfairly forced out. Added to the conflict is the fact that Arab nations surrounding Israel have opted to use Palestinian refugees as bargaining tools instead of letting them immigrate into their countries.

However, a chance to calm the tensions that have inflamed the Middle East for centuries is finally within reach. Although different groups of Palestinians are not unified in their ultimate goals, their leadership is indeed trying. Israel, with its history as the oppressed underdog, is using a long hoped-for advantage to dictate the pace of change.

Because it now has the upper hand, Israel must keep in mind that a succession of wrongs, no matter how great in number or force, will never equal the great right that the Middle East deserves.