The crisis cycle in the Middle East is lurching back to summitry. From the collapse of Camp David talks last summer, the descent into raw, rampaging religious hatred has been ugly, scary and lethal: 90 people killed, mostly Arabs, in a fortnight. Palestinian radio said that 123 protesters were wounded yesterday in more reckless fighting in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel’s Prime Minister Barak, who still makes it his mandate to find a peace agreement with the Palestinians, had given Yasir Arafat a Monday deadline for calm. Else, the Israeli forces would crack down yet harder with heavier weapons, he said.
When the moment came, though, the streets were still riotous, and the rest of the world was not to be shut out: Kofi Annan of the United Nations is shuttling between Barak and Arafat; the Russian foreign minister is on hand; Mubarak of Egypt is engaged; President Clinton’s bags are packed. They’re giving peace another chance, this hour on the Connection.
(Hosted by Christopher Lydon)
Guests:
Charlie Sennot, Middle East correspondent for Boston Globe. Majda Al-batsch, freelance journalist for Agence France Press and Newsweek. John Burns, NY times Middle East bureau chief for Middle East. Daniel Rubinstein, Correspondent for Ha’Aretz.