Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said today that Israel would take "unilateral steps" for separation from the Palestinians if a US-backed peace plan fails.
He said there is no possibility of peace with the Palestinians until"terrorism" stops.
In a major policy address, Mr Sharon said the "road map" was the best path to peace, but Israel would act in months if the Palestinians did not follow it.
He said that a "separation plan" would involve the redployment of Israeli forces and changing the distribution of settlements to reduce the number of Israelis near centres of Palestinian population.
"If within a number of months the Palestinians will continue not carrying out their part of the road map, then Israel will initiate a unilateral security measure of separation," Mr Sharon said.
He said any measures would be coordinated with the United States, Israel's main ally.