VOL. XLIV

No 50

10 December 2001

The Political Scene

Israeli Prime Minister ArielSharon has tried to place the blame for suicide attacks in Israel by the Palestiniangroup Hamas squarely on the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its president, Yasir'Arafat, and has launched air attacks against PA targets in the occupiedterritories. The Americans have backed into a neutral corner, supportingIsraels right to defend itself while warning of the consequences ofretaliation. Not so the US Congress, which...