This week on Crossing The Line: US President George W. Bush recently wrapped up a five-day visit to the Middle East meeting with Arab leaders at the World Economic Forum, pledging a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, given Bush’s dismal approval rating, what are the odds that Bush will have any real effect on the situation? Joel Beinin, Director of Middle East Studies at American University of Cairo joins host Naji Ali to talk more on the subject.

Next, more than 100 countries came together in Dublin, Ireland for a two-week conference that will lead to the banning cluster bombs worldwide. But two key states, the US and Israel, which manufacture or use cluster bombs, did not attend the conference. Ali speaks with anti-cluster bomb activist Daniel Allen about their absence and the significance of this historic event.

Lastly, US Senator John McCain has rejected the endorsement of the controversial right-wing minister John Hagee. But just who exactly is John Hagee? Why haven’t the mainstream media given his comments regarding Hitler being sent by God to drive the Jews to Israel as much scrutiny as those by Obama’s former reverend, Jeremiah Wright? Ali discusses the matter and the influence of Hagee’s pro-Israel lobby, Christians United for Israel (CUFI) with journalist Sarah Posner.

And as always, Crossing the Line begins with “This week in Palestine,” a service provided by The International Middle East Media Center.

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Crossing the Line is a weekly podcast dedicated to giving voice to the voiceless in occupied Palestine. Through investigative news, arts, eyewitness accounts, and music, Crossing the Line does its best to present the lives of people on the ground.

Crossing the Line’s host, Naji Ali, is an independent journalist currently living in San Francisco. Ali’s South African roots and desire for social change are the reason for his strong solidarity with the Palestinian people. In 1990 Ali was arrested in South Africa where he was detained and tortured for nearly two years by the South African secret police. Ali also lived and worked in the Old City of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.