To the Point
Jewish Settlements, Palestinian Territories
Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza have long been a major obstacle to peace in the Middle East. While Palestinians claim sovereignty over the land taken by Israel in the 1967 war, some Jews insist they're entitled to that land as a promise from God. The Oslo peace process assumes they will be dismantled, but how and why has been left for final status negotiations. Even during the peace talks, the number of settlers has doubled to almost a quarter of a million people. Who are they, and why do they want to live surrounded by Palestinians under military protection? How resentful are Palestinians about the Jews in their midst? We find out in a spirited conversation with a settler, a Palestinian neighbor and others on both sides. Newsmaker: Argentina's Indefinite Bank Holiday in Fourth Day Argentine President Eduardo Duhalde has declared an indefinite bank holiday to prevent a financial meltdown. After four days, cash is in short supply, credit card purchases are risky due to volatile exchange rates and street crime is on the increase. School teacher Rita Uhrig, who has become the sole support of her family since her husband lost his job, offers a personal look at the deepening economic crisis. Reporter's Notebook: What's So Great About Texas? Several of the world's leaders have wangled visits to the Western White House in Crawford, Texas. Now, presidential counselor Karen Hughes, one of America's most powerful women, is leaving Washington to go home. What's so great about Texas? Mark McKinnon, another former Bush insider, concedes that it's something about the lone-star state's unique confluence of snakes, culture and concealed weapons.
By Warren Olney • • 1 min readJewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza have long been a major obstacle to peace in the Middle East. While Palestinians claim sovereignty over the land taken by Israel in the 1967 war, some Jews insist they're entitled to that land as a promise from God. The Oslo peace process assumes they will be dismantled, but how and why has been left for final status negotiations. Even during the peace talks, the number of settlers has doubled to almost a quarter of a million people. Who are they, and why do they want to live surrounded by Palestinians under military protection? How resentful are Palestinians about the Jews in their midst? We find out in a spirited conversation with a settler, a Palestinian neighbor and others on both sides.
Argentina's Indefinite Bank Holiday in Fourth Day
Argentine President Eduardo Duhalde has declared an indefinite bank holiday to prevent a financial meltdown. After four days, cash is in short supply, credit card purchases are risky due to volatile exchange rates and street crime is on the increase. School teacher Rita Uhrig, who has become the sole support of her family since her husband lost his job, offers a personal look at the deepening economic crisis.
What's So Great About Texas?
Several of the world's leaders have wangled visits to the Western White House in Crawford, Texas. Now, presidential counselor Karen Hughes, one of America's most powerful women, is leaving Washington to go home. What's so great about Texas? Mark McKinnon, another former Bush insider, concedes that it's something about the lone-star state's unique confluence of snakes, culture and concealed weapons.