It is the latest round of violence in an already boiling region. As Palestinians mourn the killing of a top militant leader over the weekend, attention is also on Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza without a peace agreement.
Some say the killing of Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi is a clear sign that the gloves are off. Others wonder if President Bush’s nod to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon last week helped to grease the wheels for Rantisi’s killing, and whether it emboldens Israel’s plan to evacuate only some settlements in the West Bank. Many worry the killing will only escalate the violence on both sides.
Sharon is gaining critical support from Israeli right-wing leaders, laying the political groundwork for an almost certain victory for his withdrawal plan. Shifting diplomacy and assessing the role of the U.S. in the Middle East.
Guests:
James Bennet, Jerusalem bureau chief, The New York Times
Ari Shavit, Tel Aviv-based columnist, Ha’aretz
Mustafa al-Sayyid, professor of political science, Cairo University
Ambassador Dennis Ross
Bill Emmott, editor-in-chief, The Economist