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The Road To Peace

In the early morning hours of January 15, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat emerged from a meeting. After three months of threats and disappointments--and hundreds of hours of talks--they had a deal. Israel would pull its soldiers out of most areas of the West Bank city of Hebron. It would transfer land and power to the Palestinians, who make up most of Hebron's population.

Though Israel agreed to do this more than a year ago, Netanyahu's new government insisted on working out a new deal. A big concern was the safety of Hebron's Jews.

The Israeli Cabinet argued and shouted for 12 hours before finally approving the deal. But the hardest chore still lies ahead. Netanyahu and Arafat must now persuade their people to work for peace. "This is not a time to relax," President Bill Clinton told them. "It is a time to reinforce our commitment to peace."

A Battleground
Hebron is a city of historic and religious importance to both Muslims and Jews. Two important biblical figures are linked to this ancient place: it is where King David built his first capital and where Abraham is buried.

Arabs and Jews have clashed in Hebron many times in this century. After a war in 1967, Israel took control of Hebron. Jewish settlers moved into the city to claim it as their own. Today there are 100,000 Palestinians and 400 Jews living in the area. Under last week's agreement, Israel will continue to control about 20% of Hebron and offer protection to the Jewish settlers.

Two Peacemakers
Two outsiders played a critical role in the agreement. King Hussein of Jordan met separately with Arafat and Netanyahu to persuade them to compromise. And U.S. negotiator Dennis Ross spent months pushing, shouting and pleading. Proud and exhausted, he told reporters he was ready for a rest: "I feel like someone right after the Super Bowl. I want to go to Disneyland!"

Next: Back In The Big Game