tarazi is executive director of the united palestinian appeal, an organization aiding palestinians in need. last year, g.j, whose father is palestinian, led a grassroots leadership training workshop in ramallah. welcome. >> thank you. >> emily siegel is a peace activist and former delegate for interfaith peace builders, an organization that brings people from diverse backgrounds together for trips to the israeli/palestinian are to shed light on grassroots peace efforts in that region. welcome. >> thank you. >> and ambassador phil wilcox, president of the foundation for middle east peace, which works to bring peace to the area through education and advocacy. during his 31 years in the u.s. foreign service, he served as ambassador at large for counter terrorism in the state department and as chief of mission in jerusalem. >> let me start with you. given the failure of diplomatic efforts to achieve peace in the middle east, why the continued failure of diplomatic efforts, and what can grassroots efforts to to stimulate the peace process? >> the failure of diplomatic efforts is due to the

state if you can not end the division between the palestinian authority and hamas? >> that's what i believe, yes. >> rose: and how do you do that? >> well, through a variety of ways. by dealing with the shortcomings of the task. there's a blockade imposed on gaza for too long. especially intensified since 2007. that made life extremely difficult for some 111.5 million. >> rose: do you think the israelis did that because of security? >> that's... >> rose: or because they wanted to see hamas fail? >> you know, as a matter of fact this goes back to the' 0s, the israelis had... i remember a posture on security matters that pretty much said there's got to be closure, closure in the sense of borders being closed down and all. that was the security doctrine, pretty much and i do not believe it's changed since then. we have gone through periods where the closure was either strict or too strict. but i do not believe there was a period of time but for maybe brief intervals where passages were fully opened where movement was completely free. it's just a question of degree. mid

the trick for the palestinian leaderships is to find a way to bring all the palestinian parties into one tent in which they can actually provide a space for a democratic pluralist system. hamas can potentially be a part of that, all the other parties as well, but we will not know until we let that process take place. host: joliet, illinois. sherry, you are on. caller: all the oppression that is going on with the israelis, palestinians, and has led to the terrorist situation around the world. what they want from the united states is to snuff out their adversaries, such as iran. they want the u.s. to go in there and fight them, like we did in iraq, so no one is there to help the palestinians. this is all about the haves and have-nots. guest: 9 think it is a stretch to say that all the terrorism around the world is related to the israeli-palestinian conflict. i do think one of the reasons you psaltery -- president in the room yesterday with a determined -- determination to see this through is an appreciation that resolving this conflict is an american national security interest. that is

palestinians farmers do not. >> if you look around us, we will see that the palestinian land is totallyare now. there is no farming here because and also this has been very much affected by israeli control of the water. and next to us we can see a big farm owned by one israeli settler who is taking the water from a well, but the palestinians have no access or right to dig any new well to tap the groundwater. >> nader al-khateeb and gidon bromberg belong to friends of the earth middle east, an environmental group with israeli, palestinian, and jordanian members. >> shared water resources are not being shared fairly. that's critical to the peace process. that's critical as an issue that creates animosity between palestinians and israelis, and we believe that this is not fair, this is not just, this is not sustainable. >> even as they criticize what they call discriminatory israeli policies, both men agree the palestinians also suffer from internal problems -- corruption, mismanagement, and a bloody leadership struggle that has divided the palestinian territories. on the other hand, settle

of the palestinian history. now mr yousef are you saying these really powers here that they are basically they're not going to renew the ban on exporting the west bank settlements but netanyahu generally supports the idea of a palestinian state should not be enough to push just take part in these talks. yeah netanyahu is the. new were face to the palestinian is that a.b.c. politics we are dealing with him all the time be any more than two decades he's in the political spectrum and he is there talking and he was we he made many of these talks between the palestinian and the israelis and the guy he wrote all his vision and a ball and we know that the guy he doesn't have a vision for peace or what is his vision as how to kick the palestinian out of the historic land of palestine and make it the land for the zionist and now he's talking about the jews which means that all the palestinian arabs and even the christian they should believe these jewish state our values our cause i'm sorry my name i can just enjoy yours

talks and a grading an independent palestinian state side by side with israel.e began with a look at how young people in the region youth the chances of getting the goal that has been so elusive for past u.s. and ministrations. >> peace talks are like a sedative for the world for the palestinians and israelis. look at us. we're trying to bring about peace. but really we're closing our eyes to what is going on in reality. it is all quite extract. and just put on for the media. >> is empty talk. when negotiated with the israelis the last 18 years but achieved nothing. it will not budge on the key issue. borders, jerusalem. i think the talks are pointless, a waste of time. >> i think the peace talks just keep on recruiting themselves over and over again. i do not think they will achieve anything. not because of the failure on the part of the palestinians but because netanyahu does not want to stop settlement building. >> the only way to bring about a two state solution is that both sides are clear and fair about their addictions. the palestinians have to stop sayin

we are neighbors of the palestinians and they are our neighbors. >> on the other hand, palestinian president mahmoud abbas has consistently rejected direct talks without a guaranteed total freeze on israeli settlement construction but it couldn't refuse any more as the arab league, which backs palestine endorsed the talk, as did the quartet on the middle east which consists of u.s., russia, the european union and united nations. >> and what can we expect from the talks? >> the overwhelming view is that there will be no major progress. there is too big a divide between the two sides on a mountain of issues, including the settlements and borders for future palestinian state. it is thought that israel will resume settlement construction after the ten-month moratorium expires on september 26. the palestinians say they will walk out of the talks if that happens. >> translator: the israeli government holds full responsibility for the failure and the collapse of this negotiation. if it continues the expansion of settlements. >> the two sides also face internal problems. the islamic fundamentalist g

on the palestinian side, they've pretty much exposed their hand. they've accepted a division of the land, 22% for the palestinians, 78%. on the israeli side-- and this is 2 source of huge speculation in the israeli press-- the question is benjamin netanyahu a menachem begin, a likud leader who is encouraged by a dedicated president, then president carter, withdrew right to the '67 lines, withdrew the settlements and made a very important historic peace or is he a prime minister shamir who went to the ma friday process and said "i'm going to drag this out for ten years." >> woodruff: and that's in the long run. in the short run we're looking to see is there agreement on straightforward issues? the moratorium on settlementses. and today hisham melhem, there's a report late need out of gaza the hamas islamic faction saying there are palestinian militant groups deciding they're going to step up their attacks on israel. if that happen what is does that do to this peace pro sneses. >> unfortunately, the attack recently in hebron strengthened the narrativ

the trick for the palestinian leaderships is to find a way to bring all the palestinian parties into one tent in which they can actually provide a space for a democratic pluralist system. hamas can potentially be a part of that, all the other parties as well, but we will not know until we let that process take place. host: joliet, illinois. sherry, you are on. caller: all the oppression that is going on with the israelis, palestinians, and has led to the terrorist situation around the world. what they want from the united states is to snuff out their adversaries, such as iran. they want the u.s. to go in there and fight them, like we did in iraq, so no one is there to help the palestinians. this is all about the haves and have-nots. guest: 9 think it is a stretch to say that all the terrorism around the world is related to the israeli-palestinian conflict. i do think one of the reasons you psaltery -- president in the room yesterday with a determined -- determination to see this through is an appreciation that resolving this conflict is an american national security interest. that is

secretary of state holds stock with palestinian leader abbas. the settlement issue poses a massive challenge. >> welcome to gmt. also in the program, hopes rise for a quicker rescue of the chilean miners. hundreds of thousands joined the party in mexico to celebrate to lanier's of independence. it is midday in london and in washington, they're just waking up to the news that the obama administration is ramping up its efforts to inject momentum into middle east peace negotiations. today, hillary clinton has been in the west bank for talks with the president of the palestinian authority, president abbas. that follows talks between a bas and netanyahu yesterday. >> pressing on with the american peace mission, hillary clinton met the palestinian president. >> the united states and all of us led by president obama are very committed and determined to work toward a peace agreement through direct negotiations that lead to an independent, sovereign, viable palestinian state that realizes the aspirations of the palestinian people. >> it was all smiles on

the palestinian and israeli people. it is expected that the current negotiations will not start from scratch. no doubt the position of the international community as stated in the consecutive statements and particularly in the latest august 20 statement, they respect to relevant international resolutions and supported the outline of settlements using [unintelligible] not prejudice to the outcomes of negotiations. the aim is to reach a peaceful settlement and allow for the independent state of palestine to merge and live side-by-side in peace with the state of israel. i met with prime minister meant -- prime minister netanyahu many times since he took office last year. in our meetings, i listened to assertions of his willingness to achieve peace with the palestinians and for history to record his name for such an issue. i say to him today that i look forward to achieving those assertions in reality and his success in achieving a long- awaited peace which i know the people of israel yearn for just like all of the people i

for israelis, for palestinians, for the region and for the world. it is any national interest of all involved, including the united states, that this conflict be brought to a peaceful conclusion. so even as we are clear about the challenge over head, so, too, do we see the foundations of progress. the israeli government and the palestinian authority are cooperating on a daily basis to reduce violence, to build institutions. among the israeli and palestinian public's, there is wide support for a two-state solution, the broad outlines are well known to both peoples. and even in the midst of this course, ordinary israelis and palestinians, state leaders, civil society groups, doctors, scientists, businessmen, students -- find ways to work together every day. there heroic grass-roots efforts show the cooperation that is possible and should inspire us all. in addition, these are two leaders who, i believe, want peace. both sides have indicated these negotiations can be completed within one year. as i told each of them today, this moment of opportunity ma

as much as these images will enter palestinians and the american government, -- anger palestinians and the american government, they are largely symbolic. it does not mean that thousands of new homes will be built on occupied palestinian land, nor does it mean that the talks will inevitably collapse. >> we want the process to succeed. that is why prime minister netanyahu called upon president of abbas to continue to -- president abbas to continue with these talks. only with ongoing, direct, in serious negotiations can we hope to build a better future. >> mahmoud abbas, a palestinian president, is on an official visit to paris. previously said he would pull out of peace talks if settlement-building prisons. he has not walked away yet, even though he says settlements are not compatible with peace. >> the palestinians will return to our leaders first so we can decide. we're not going to make any quick reactions. we will not say yes or no, we want or we do not want without studying the results or consequences with the palestinian leaders and the arab countries. >> palestinians are protesti

in palestinian authority bank accounts. tickets to another issue which we cannot touch on today, as something as a focusing on now which is the state-building effort and the tensions that exist within that. we'll talk here about the top- down meaning the bottom-up, and it sounds a good and is important, but it has stirred up a lot of conflict and conflicting sentiments in palestine and israel as well. but that is a separate issue. yes, there have been at missteps along the route. there will be further missteps. you're absolutely right. in the next few months, it will test president obama. it is not fatal. it is part of the process. there will be bigger tests like the ones we saw today, the violence that will really test the fragility of the process and test the ability of the leaders to move forward. what you say about iran, and i will in don that, is a very important. this 12 months. yes, it would be much better to have clarity on iran and the ambiguity that exists, and that weighs very heavily. when i said prime minister

." >> face-to-face talks between israeli and palestinian leaders. the americans call for a historic compromise. >> mr. prime minister, mr. president, you have the opportunity to end this conflict and the decades of enmity between your peoples once and for all. >> welcome to "bbc world news" -- broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america and also around the globe. coming up later for you, their first hot meal in nearly a month. hope of being rescued is delayed for chile's trapped miners as engineers hit a snag. new touchscreen computers rushing to the markets. and intoxicating glitz and glamour. venice is vying to win back its place in the top european film festival. israel and the palestinians have been holding their first direct negotiations in nearly two years in washington. the american middle east envoy, senator george mitchell, said talks so far have been constructed. he said talks -- sides agreed to meet again in two weeks and that they would work towards reaching a framework agreement first. the bbc's middle east editor is in washington. >> th

if the palestinian authority is going to demand an extension of it or walk out, then how serious can possibly be about peace talks? so that is the israeli perspective. tavis: so whether one agrees orr netanyahu, you are in the region tonight. what is it doing to the notion of peace talks progressing this issue? >> it is fracturing that notion pretty seriously. i think that interestingly, the american government and european governments as well as the palestinians and other arab countries all hope and believe that prime minister netanyahu would extend the settlement freeze. when in the interest he did not, a crisis did lower over the whole situation. from the beginning, the president of the palestinian abbas said ifhmood of bo they start building of settlements again, i am walking. he is going to consult this saturday with the palestinian liberation organization and the central committee of his movement. on monday, in cairo, there is going to be a meeting of foreign ministers of the arab league. between those three sets of meetings, in theory, he is going to come up with an answer. in

." >> face-to-face talks between israeli and palestinian leaders. the americans call for historic compromise. >> mr. prime minister, mr. president -- you have the opportunity to end this conflict and the decades of enmity between your peoples once and for all. >> welcome to close "bbc world news " -- broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america and also around the globe. coming up later for you, their first hot meal in nearly a month, but hope of being rescued is delayed for chile's trapped miners. the engineers have hit a snag. scientist stephen hawking declares the creation of the universe did not depend on god. and what was a byword for intoxicating glitz and glamour, this is my in to win back its place as top european film festival. -- venice is trying to win back its place as top european film festival. israel and the palestinians have been holding their first direct negotiations in nearly two years in washington. the american middle east envoy, senator george mitchell, says talks so far have been constructive. he said the two sides have agreed t

the palestinian president responds to the israel -- israeli settlement building on the west bank. and and electrowinning force hugo chavez -- the opposition makes parliamentary gains that make the president paused next five years very difficult indeed. welcome to "bbc world news" broadcast on pbs in america and around the globe. coming up later -- the world's biggest energy producer meets the world fastest growing energy market. why russian and china are signing an oil and gas deal. the holes could soon be alive with the sound of skiing -- why this picturesque spot in georgia is in people's mind. >> on the face of it, it's just another drawing pen and a notice board -- an official announcement of a military appointment. but in north korea, very little is routine. the latest news from the state media looks prescient -- kim jong-un, the son of north korea's ailing dictator has been given rank of general just as the stalinist state is about to hold a ruling convention of its workers' party. the first in nearly 30 years. many see strong signs that kim jong-il is about to appoint his s

as much as these images will anchor palestinians and even the american government, -- aner palestiniansnd even the american government, they are largely symbolic. >> we want this process to succeed, and that is why prime minister netanyahu called president abbas, as these talks will only go one, and only through negotiation will we go on to the future. >> previously, the palestinian president said he would pull up peace talks if the settlement building resumes. he has not walked away yet, even though he says the settlements are incompatible with ps. >> the palestinians will return to our leaders first, before we can decide. we will not make any quick reactions. we will not say yes or no. we need to study the consequences. >> palestinians protesting against the israeli occupation in the west bank over the weekend. many ordinary palestinians say their leaders have already given too much ground, while not, at least publicly, getting any concessions from israel. the settlement residents are the first of obstacles that could derail negotiations at any stage. while american negotiators are ho

remember, last year the palestinians were not that enthusiastic about it. as far as i can tell, they have not gotten benjamin netanyahu to agree to that. >> rather than suggesting that american power is quite weak, saying listen, tony blair have a go at the quartet, because we have failed. >> american officials have been under radio silence all weekend, hoping to have an agreement worked out. i will point out that benjamin netanyahu is very conscious of the political difficulties in washington, but she could see it in the united nations last week, he spent a full quarter of his address to the united nations talking about least these. should obama be facing gridlock next year, he could very well be spending most of his time on this conflict. obama, for no political benefits for himself, is determined to try to see this through, something that both parties are keeping in consideration. >> thank-you. let's take a look at some of the other stories making headlines from around the world. hugo chavez has retained power where electoral officials say that the oppos

a real deep study with the palestinian leaders. but also with with the arab countries. we have decided with the arab countries during my meeting with foreign ministers in new york, that the arab followup committee will hold a meeting on october 4th. >> even as settlers celebrated the moratorium's expiration, israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu advised restraint. today his spokesman said the peace process should go forward. >> prime minister netanyahu called upon president abbas to continue with these talks because ultimately, onlythrough ongoing, serious direct talks, can we build a better future for israelis and palestinians. >> reporter: netanyahu faced heavy pressure from his governing coalition to resume construction of settlements. but others in the government's more moderate wing like israeli president shimon peres urged caution. >> our fate has been and remained hinged on the peace we have achieved ats. risk. we where in a period of some uncertainty, a sort of passing crisis. i hope that whatever happens we cannot stop efforts to achieve a cleat peace-- com

and those of us who are friend of the palestinians must understand that the rights of the palestinian people will be won only through peaceful means, including genuine reconciliation with a secure israel. i know many in this hall count themselves as friends of the palestinians. but these pledges of friendship must now be supported by deeds. those who have signed on to the air and peace initiative should sign on by taking tangible steps towards the normalization that it promises israel. and those who speak on behalf of palestinian self-government, should help the palestinian authority politically and financially. and in doing so, help the palestinians build the institutions of their state. those who long to see an independent palestine must also stop trying to tear down israel. after thousands of years, jews and arabs are not strangers in a strange land. after 60 years in the community of nations, israel's existence must not be a subject for debate. israel is a sovereign state. and the historic homeland of the jewish people. it should be clear to all that efforts to chip away at israel

the palestinians have blown up this whole issue of settlements out of all proportion it's one of the negotiating issues so you it's not a zero sum game you can say well we'll only negotiate if you already given on one of the major points of negotiation peace according to the the the former agreements between the israelis in the palestinians peace is composed of a number of subjects one is refugees one has jerusalem one he's water one is security one is borders and another one is the settlements now all these subjects have to be negotiated the palestinians can come along and say hey we're not going to negotiate if you don't agree in advance or to freeze all the settlements this is completely against all principles of negotiation. omar but hootie from the palestinian campaign for the academic and cultural boycott of israel says the middle east talks a doomed to failure. the entire settlement colonial settlement enterprise is illegal according to international law all the settlements have to be removed according to international law this points to the main problem with these so-called n

later today, israeli and palestinian leaders will sit down again. it is possible they will meet again in new york next week. the americans appear intent on pushing these negotiations as fast as possible, even if most people in the middle east remain skeptical that israel and the palestinians are really in the mood to make peace. >> joining me now is the leader of the council that represents hundreds of thousands of settlers across the west bank. you'll probably have to make difficult decisions, even, arises. will you allow him to make those compromises? >> continuation of the freeze is completely unacceptable. the rules of the game or completely clear, a onetime, a 10 month, a temporary moratorium. the second part of the resolution should be fulfilled as meticulously as was the first part. >> the american president has made it clear that an order for these talks to succeed, he expects the freeze to continue in some form or another. you are not prepared to meet them halfway? >> i am wondering why the american president is behaving this way. he has to

they were struck dead by palestinian gunmen on tuesday. it was the worst attack in the west bank in four years. in an emotional farewell, and 19-year-old -- a 19-year-old promise to look after the children. the question is, what will be the fallout of these murders? jewish settlers are saying they will unilaterally break a ban on new construction in the occupied west bank. and hamas, the palestinian group that carried out these killings, say that will not be allowed. if either of those things are true, the peace talks in washington will be further jeopardized. this afternoon in a palestinian village near hebron, the first incident. the jewish settler being wrestled to the ground is one of 50 who attempted to attack palestinian house. bbc news. >> staying in the middle east, the united states has brought a formal into its combat role in iraq, seven years after toppling saddam hussein, although there are no agreements on a government after elections. thousands were seriously injured. only one -- one of the thousand iraqi civilians died as we

this is the land in gaza that the palestinians want in their state. israel suggested it build only on the occupied land it plans to keep. the biggest settlement blocks include those in east jerusalem. the palestinians want to stop all settlement activity, which breaks international law. president abbas says he will walk away from the talks if the construction friezes not extended. >> we call on the israeli government to move forward with its commitment to end all settlement activities. you completely lift the embargo on the gaza strip. >> of this one fails, the next time will be harder. the conflict is changing. it is not simply nationalists fighting over land. a religious war is grasping onto that. people on both sides think they are doing god's will. netanyahu's government includes ministers who do not want jewish land to go to palestinian. mr. abbas cannot speak for all of his people, and mass which condemned his presence here. they all looked relaxed as the journalists were ushered out. they won't be behind closed doors. bbc news, washington. >> o