VOL. XLV

No 1

7 January 2002

The Political Scene

TheUS feels the situation in the occupied territories has eased sufficiently tojustify the return of mediator Anthony Zinni to the region, even if the Israelisdo not feel it has eased enough to resume talking to the Palestinians. IsraelsLabour party has moved sharply to the right by electing Defense MinisterBinyamin Ben Eliezer as its leader. Iran and the GCC are once again atloggerheads over Abu Musa and the Tunbs. And there have been further...