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NPR's Eric Weiner reports from Jerusalem on the Israeli government closure of four Palestine Authority offices in Arab East Jerusalem. The order came as Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was in the United States seeking US support against other Israeli steps that he claims are violations of the peace process.

it is harming the Middle East peace process with its decision to go ahead with a huge housing project on disputed land.

in the Paula Jones case, which will test whether incumbent presidents can be sued. The Court must also consider the pre-trial deposition process, which allows all witnesses, including the president, to be questioned under oath.

NPR's Eric Weiner reports on the continuing delay in signing the accord for an Israeli pullout from Hebron. Questions are being raised in Israel about the policies that allowed a man of proven instability into the Israeli army. Yesterday, an off-duty member of the Israeli army fired his army-issued rifle at Palestinians in the city marketplace, in hopes of sidetracking the peace process.

Linda talks with Ron Elving, a writer for the Congressional Quarterly, about the delegates to the Republican National Convention and what effect they might have on the political process there. A fight had been expected on the floor of the Convention relating to the "tolerance language" in the party platform; yesterday's announcement that the Dole campaign would no longer push for this conciliatory language defused the threat of angry pro-life delegates disrupting the proceedings, but has increased concerns that more moderate delegates might protest. Linda and Ron will talk about who the delegates are and what they do at the convention.

Linda talks with NPR's Michael Goldfarb about Northern Ireland. A decision last week to allow Protestants to march through a Catholic neighborhood has all but killed the peace process in the province. At first, police had stopped the march. But after five days of violence by the Protestants, police changed their minds and allowed the march. Outraged Catholics responded with riots of their own. The decision to allow the march has not only further divided the Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, it has moved the governments of Ireland and Britain farther apart.

NPR's Sunni Khalid reports from Israel on the Palestinian reaction to Netanyahu's victory. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat is said to be stunned by the election results, and pessimistic about prospects for the peace process.

Sunni Khalid reports that despite his tough talk about changing the rules of the Arab-Israeli peace process, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubaraka in Cairo today and convinced him that he was not bent on halting peace negotitions with his arab neighbors.

NPR senior news analyst Daniel Schorr says that while the nation waits, on edge, to find out whether or not the explosion was a result of sabotage,--the victims' families wait for closure and the commencement of the grieving process.

NPR's Ted Clark reports that after two days of talks with Palestinian negotiators, the Middle East peace process is still on hold. The U.S. has presented bridging ideas to both the Israelis and the Palestinians, and next week the U.S. will decide what steps it should take next. The good news is that the two sides are at least are talking (via the U.S.), and there is again some cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian security forces. Yesterday, the two services cooperated in arresting several alleged Hamas terrorists believed to be tied to last month's coffee shop bombing in Tel Aviv. Another hopeful sign: the U.S. State Department praised Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat for his very strong statement against terrorism.

Robert talks with NPR's Ted Clark about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington to confer with President Clinton on reviving the Middle East peace process. Trust between Israel and the Palestinians appears to be at its lowest point since the peace process began many years ago. Violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces are once again a daily occurrence, prompted by Israel's decision to go ahead with controversial housing project for Jews in predominantly-Arab East Jerusalem.

NPR's John Nielsen reports on a new survey of the nation's problem rivers released this past week. The list includes the Potomac River which has been one of the cleanest rivers in the country since the 1960's. The river is once again polluted in large part due to runoff from poultry processing plants.

says U.S. envoy Dennis Ross is en route to the Middle East, again in an attempt to save the peace process. Despite signs of reconciliation, such as cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian law enforcement agencies and a proposed delay in East Jerusalem construction, neither side is willing to return to the negotiating table.

Joseph Alpher about Netanyahu's prospects for continuing as Prime Minister and what Israeli politics-- and the peace process -- will look like in the wake of these accusations.

Senior news analyst Daniel Schorr says that while Arafat has been visiting the United States, Israel has done little this week to further the peace process, and the Clinton administration will be unable to avoid expressing it's displeasure.

Palestinians clashed with Israeli troops in the West Bank again today over the start of construction of new Jewish homes in East Jerusalem. Following a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv last week, Israel warned that new attacks by Islamic militants were possible and accused Yasser Arafat of giving the green light for attacks against Israelis. Israel demanded that the Palestinian leader crack down on militant groups before the peace process can move forward. Robert speaks with Sa'eb Erakat (EHR-ah-kaht), chief Palestinian negotiator and the Minister of Local Government for the Palestinian Authority, about Israel's accusations. Erakat says that the peace process will slip away unless both sides stop the accustions and counter-accusions. He also said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must stop making unilateral decisions if he wants to keep the peace process alive.

- Korva talks with NPR's Brian Naylor about the decision by congreessional leaders to place the House Ethics Committee on hold while a bi-partisan panel re-examines whether the entire ethics process is working. The time-out comes in the wake of the long and divisive probe into the ethical problems of House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

NPR's Eric Weiner reports from Tel Aviv on the suicide bomber who walked into a crowded cafe and blew himself up, killing three Israelis and wounding dozens. The suicide bombing was the first in a year, even as the Middle East peace process has turned acrimonious as a result of Israel's decision to build a new housing settlement on disputed land in East Jerusalem.

Deborah talks with Rob Satloff, the Executive Director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, about the latest concerns for the future of the Middle East peace process. After historic gains in the last ten years, much ground has been lost in the last twelve months. They discuss why relations have been so strained, and what lies ahead for the principals in the conflict.

At least two Palestinians were killed and more than 100 injured today in the West Bank town of Hebron. The first Palestinian was killed by an Israeli settler, and the second by Israeli soldiers in violence sparked by the first incident. This violence comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel following yesterday's discussions in Washington with President Clinton... discussions that failed to yield any substantive progress on restarting the peace process. Laurie Neff reports.

Daniel speaks with reporter Laurie Neff about the meeting of European, Arab, American and Japanese diplomats in Gaza today to discuss the faltering Middle East peace process. Neff says Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat called the meeting to vent his anger over Israeli plans to build more Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem, but its unclear whether the gathering achieved anything.

A panel headed by Republican Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee is preparing to investigate allegations of improper fundraising by the Democratic National Committee. NPR's Peter Overby reports on whether Thompson's approach to the investigation is more likely to resemble the Watergate or Whitewater hearings. The process could be crucial to President Clinton's second term, pending campaign finance legislation, and Thompson's political future. He is being touted as a possible presidential candidate.

The lead Republican and Democrat on the Senate Intelligence committee disagree on whether the panel's investigation unfairly drove Anthony Lake out of the running for Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Lake asked Preside nt Clinton to withdraw his nomination, saying he was tired of the "political circus." Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, a Republican, says the process was appropriately thorough. Vice chairman Bob Kerrey, a Democrat, says it was not f air and a reasonable standard has to be set for the new nominee. NPR's Martha Raddatz reports that Kerrey called Lake to say he was concerned about his management of the National Security Council staff, but did not say at the time that he would vote again st Lake's confirmation.

President Clinton is expected to announce his new choice to head the Central Intelligence Agency soon, following Anthony Lake's decision not to continue in the confirmation process for that position. The leading candidate seems to be acting CIA director George Tenet. NPR's Martha Raddatz reports.

The Senate has started debate on a resolution that would ask Attorney General Janet Reno to begin the process of seeking an independent counsel to investigate campaign fundraising abuses of the last election. Democrats are pushing for an inquiry that includes G-O-P fundraising, just as they did with the congressional investigation. NPR's Elizabeth Arnold talks with Linda about this issue and other events on Capitol Hill this week.