Israel and the Arabs: Elusive Peace

Season 1

World leaders comment on the unraveling peace process and continued violence between Israelis and Palestinians from 1999 to 2005.

Clinton 1999-2000
E1
Clinton 1999-2000Israel's former Prime Minister Ehud Barak persuaded US President Bill Clinton to devote his last 18 months in office to helping make peace with Yasser Arafat. But after tense negotiations the deal was never made. Then Ariel Sharon made a controversial visit to the al-Aqsa mosque compound in East Jerusalem, a site which is also holy to Jews.
Arafat 2001-2002
E2
Arafat 2001-2002The former US Secretary of State, Colin Powell attempted to make peace between Israel and the Palestinians. However, his efforts were derailed by his own hard-line colleagues. And the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat himself.
Sharon 2003-2005
E3
Sharon 2003-2005President Bush was determined to stay out of Middle East peace-making. But the war in Iraq forced him to court Arab allies. He needed to push Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon back towards peace. But Ariel Sharon moved the goal posts.