Palestinian militias, who already have carried out six bombings this week, including one yesterday, might step up attacks and provoke harsh Israeli reprisals. And two far-right factions in Sharon’s coalition government could bolt in protest, weakening the prime minister and creating new uncertainty. While Sharon has set aside his objections for now, he has not withdrawn them, meaning disputes have been postponed, not resolved.

The Bush administration sent seemingly conflicting messages yesterday in order to break the diplomatic deadlock, assuring the Palestinians that there would be no changes in the road map, but also announcing that Israel’s objections would be taken into account.

However, the same disputes could re-emerge in the first stage of the plan, when the Palestinians are to rein in fighters and Israel is to withdraw from Palestinian towns and freeze Jewish settlement construction.

Israel has said in the past that it would only make a move after the Palestinians crack down on militias. The road map calls for simultaneous steps.

Sharon adviser Raanan Gissin suggested yesterday that Israel’s position remains unchanged. “There is a preliminary stage that must be accomplished...that is steps to stop terrorism, to stop the incitement,” Gissin told CNN. “We must take those steps if we are to enter the gateway to the road map to peace.”

Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas wants to use persuasion, not force, to get the militants to halt attacks. In a first step, he met with Hamas leaders this week, but failed to extract any promises.

The US announcement did not specify which of the Israeli concerns Washington was willing to address. Israel also has demanded that the Palestinians drop now — without further discussion — a demand for the “right of return” of Palestinian refugees and their descendants to former homes in what is now Israel. The peace plan says the fate of the refugees is to be discussed only in the third stage, when the terms of Palestinian statehood will be negotiated.

Palestinian officials said they welcomed Israel’s readiness to accept the road map, but said they’d like equal treatment in getting a hearing for their reservations.

Palestinian Cabinet Minister Ziad Abu Amr said the Palestinians had not voiced their misgivings when accepting the plan because they were eager to move forward. “If the US administration assures Israel that it will take into account its reservations, the same treatment should be extended to the Palestinian side,” he said.

Soon after Israel’s announcement, Bush said he was considering calling a three-way summit. “If a meeting advances progress toward two states living side by side in peace, I will strongly consider such a meeting,” he told reporters in Crawford, Texas.