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Settlement Showdown
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A Palestinian suicide bomber killed three Israelis, and wounded 18 others yesterday at a gas station in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank town of Ariel. In response, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers who were harvesting olives in a nearby village. The settlement issue is back on the front burner and heating up in the Israeli government. Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and his labor party are threatening to vote against prime minister Sharon's 2003 budget, unless monies slated for settlements are re-directed toward social programs. If that happens, Sharon is threatening to kick out labor party ministers from his cabinet in a move that could force early elections. In this hour, Israel's settlement policy: security blanket or blockade to peace.Guests:
James Bennet, New York Times correspondent in Jerusalem
Mark Rosenblum, professor of history at Queens College
Morton Zuckerman, Editor-in Chief U.S. News & World Report magazine
This program aired on October 29, 2002.