Learn about Hamas and the Middle East peace process

Overview: Two separate Israeli aerial assaults left five dead in Gaza City on Tuesday. Dozens of other people were injured in the attacks. The violence comes as the latest obstacle along the road map to peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

After students read "New Mideast attacks may threaten road map to peace" present the following questions:

RESOURCES • Holt, Rinehart and Winston: Information on Palestine  • Holt, Rinehart and Winston: The Founding of Israel  • The Middle East Peace Network  • CNN.com Special: Mideast Land of Conflict  • CNN.com: Jerrold Kessel: Fallout from Israeli strike  • CNN.com: Five killed in 2 Israeli attacks in Gaza

1. How many attacks did Israelis launch against Palestinians in Gaza City yesterday? Who was the target of the first attack? What were the results of these attacks? According to witnesses, how did the second assault start? What was President Bush's response to the attacks?

2. With what political group is Abdel Aziz Rantissi affiliated? What is Hamas? Have students conduct research to learn about Hamas, the group's political ideology, its relationship to the Palestinian Authority, why it has posed a threat to Israelis and its position on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. After students share their findings, ask: Politically speaking, what, if anything, would Israel stand to gain by assassinating Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantissi? Do you think there will be political fallout from this failed assassination attempt? Explain. In your opinion, how should leaders from the Palestinian Authority, the U.S. and Israel respond to this incident?

3. How and when did the Middle East peace process begin? Have students work in groups to review the peace process to date and the events that have interrupted its progress. After students share their findings, have each student use what he/she has seen in the video, combined with the information gathered in research and discussion, to write a newspaper editorial that might appear in either an Israeli or a Palestinian paper. The focus of the editorial should be an opinion, supported with fact, on what course that government should pursue at this point in time. Should the peace process move forward? If so, under what conditions? If not, what is the alternative? Do you think the U.S. should participate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process? Why or why not? After students share their editorials, ask: Do you think peace can be achieved in the Middle East? Why or why not?