After eight months of escalating violence resulting in the deaths of more than 500 mostly Palestinian civilians, Israelis and Palestinians have taken tentative steps to resuming security talks. This comes after the Bush administration gave up its low-profile approach and directed U.S. envoy William Burns to engage in shuttle diplomacy between the two sides.

But the outlook for any breakthroughs is uncertain after continued car bombings and military attacks, despite a limited unilateral Israeli ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's strategy of pre-emptive strikes -- which has included targeting Palestinian leaders for assassination -- has failed to quell the Al Aksa Intifada or uprising.

Hope for a resumption of negotiations further dimmed as Israel flatly rejected a freeze on Jewish settlements in the occupied territories -- a key recommendation from an international commission led by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Hussein Ibish, communications director with the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, who assesses provisions of the Mitchell plan and the prospects for a cease-fire and renewed negotiations.

This interview segment is available in downloadable MP3 and RealAudio on radio newsmagazine Between The Lines' website www.btlonline.org for week ending 6/8/01.

Contact the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee by calling (202) 244-2990 or visit their Web Site at: www.adc.org