Using NewsHour Extra Feature Stories

Overview: NewsHour Extra feature stories can help students identify and interpret key issues in current events. This activity anticipates one class period, but the follow-up essay might be assigned as homework or in another period.

Warm Up: Use initiating questions to introduce the topic and find out how much your students know.

Main Activity: Have students read NewsHour Extra's feature story and answer the questions on the reading comprehension handout.

Discussion: Use discussion questions to encourage students to think about how the issues outlined in the story affect their lives and express and debate different opinions.

Follow-up: Students can write a 500-word editorial on the topic expressing their views and send it to NewsHour Extra [extra@newshour.org] for possible publication.

Evaluation: Students are graded on their answers to reading comprehension questions and/or their editorial.

Story: Abbas Wins Palestinian Election, Raising Hopes For Peace, 01/10/05
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june05/abbas_1-10.html

Initiating Questions:

1. Who are the Palestinians? What is their political situation?

2. How do elections help create and sustain democracies?

Reading Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)

1. What significant event occurred in the Middle East Sunday?

Mahmoud Abbas won the Palestinian presidential election Sunday, raising hopes for the possibility of a separate Palestinian state at peace with Israel.

2. Who is Abbas and why might he have the support of many in the international community?

Abbas, the moderate leader of the Fatah political party who has the support of the United States and many in the international community, has spoken publicly against suicide bombers and other violence and pledged to reform the government.

"There is a difficult mission ahead to build our state," he said Sunday night. "To achieve security for our people, to give our prisoners freedom, our fugitives a life in dignity, to reach our goal of an independent state."

3. How has Israel responded to Abbas' victory in the Palestinian election?

Israeli leaders, including Labor Party leader Shimon Peres, praised Abbas and expressed hope that peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders, which broke down in 2001, could resume.

"A moderate man was elected, an intelligent man, an experienced man. Let's give him a chance. There is a new legitimate Palestinian leadership whose leaders definitely are against terror and war," Peres said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to meet with Abbas soon, according to his aides.

4. What will be one of Abbas' most difficult tasks?

But Abbas also has the difficult task of reining in armed militant groups, who have used violence and terrorism to fight Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.

"Will he fight against the terrorists? Will he try to stop this bloody, violent war against the state of Israel? This is the main question," Israeli vice premier Ehud Olmert told CNN.

5. When did Palestinians last hold a presidential election? Why is this election significant?

The election, the first for president in nine years, proceeded largely without incident. For many the most important outcome of the election is the advancement of democracy.

"This is a historic vote for us," senior Fatah leader Ahmed Ghnaim told The Washington Post. "The most important thing is not the winner. The most important thing is to see the Palestinian people committed to the principle of democracy."

6. How has the United States responded to the Palestinian elections?

In the United States, President Bush said the elections were a "historic" step toward a Palestinian state.

"The United States stands ready to help the Palestinian people realize their aspirations," Mr. Bush said.

"The new Palestinian president and his Cabinet face critical tasks ahead, including fighting terrorism, combating corruption, building reformed and democratic institutions and reviving the Palestinian economy."

The president also announced he would welcome the newly elected Palestinian president to the White House, a gesture denied the late Yasser Arafat.

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. According to senior Fatah leader Ahmed Ghnaim, "The most important thing is not the winner. The most important thing is to see the Palestinian people committed to the principle of democracy." Do you agree? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning.

2. President Bush said the elections were a "historic" step toward a Palestinian state. Why does the U.S. have an interest in creating peace between Palestinians and Israelis?

3. Why is it important that Abbas rein in armed militant groups? What might happen to the peace process if he is unable to do that? Why?

Write a 300-500 word essay on either of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra (extra@newshour.org). Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site.