>> want to take that off, yuval? >> i think in light of that general concern and the immigration debate not long ago, this is a time for civic education to be a priority. it does not have to be simply a government priority, it has to be a priority of society. republicans, conservatives, everybody else has to be talking about assimilation in ways that would probably have been uncomfortable talking about for a while, civic education, american history, the importance of teaching our young children why this is a special country. this is a place to begin that type of work. rather than taking on the kind of abstract problem of multiculturalism, to explain to particular uniqueness of this country and this society to our children who are going have to carry it on i think is a challenge that we have been remiss about the need to take seriously again. >> governor? >> i think we have to walk the balance beam here. but i opt for the heavy lane of embracing new comers -- newcomers as this country always has. i do not have much tr

"worldfocus" israeli producer yuval liyon has our "lead focus" tonight. >> reporter: the settlement issue will be front and center when george mitchell arrived in the region sunday for talks between israelis and palestinians. just this week, tensions between the united states and israel have risen over the plan building of some 20 apartments for jews in predominantly arab east jerusalem. aloof ben is editor-at-large of israel's newspaper. >> what we hear from from both israeli and american sources is there has been progress in trying to if not resolve the issue, at least finding some way to push it aside so that it will not be -- for negotiations between the israelis and the palestinians. >> one subject that israel and the united states have greater agreement on is the need to halt iran's suspected nuclear weapons program. the u.s. defense secretary roberts gate and national security adviser jim jones will both be in israel next week, presumably to better coordinate their approach to iran. aloof ben says the visit is significant for a couple of reasons. >> one it is an opportunity for the