[Kagan:] Now to the Middle East and search for common ground in the disputed territory of Gaza. Israeli lawmakers are to take a historic vote today on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to withdraw settlers and troops from lands that could become a Palestinian state. Our John Vause is in Jerusalem with the latest on that. John, hello.
[John Vause, Cnn Correspondent:] Hello, Daryn. Just a few hours away now from the historic vote in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset. It is expected to pass Ariel Sharon's controversial disengagement plan. It's expected to win approval in principle, but only with the support of the labor opposition. Still that will pave the way for the evacuation of some 8,000 Jewish settlers from all of the Gaza Strip and a small part of the West Bank. An historic day, the first time in more than 20 years that Israel has decided to give up settlements built on land, which it has occupied since the end of the Six-Day War in 1967. But this day has not passed without protest. Earlier thousands gathered in a park across the road from the Knesset. They've accused the prime minister of tearing apart the fabric of Israeli society and pushing it closer to civil war. Ariel Sharon in turn has accused the settlers of having a messianic complex. But still, if the latest opinion polls are to be believed, it seems most Israelis support the disengagement plan. One out just this morning says 65 percent of Israelis support disengagement. Only 26 percent are opposed Daryn.
[Kagan:] John, the transformation of Ariel Sharon on this point is absolutely fascinating. And leads to a lot of the resentment toward him. He not only used to support this, he sent settlers into this area and encouraged them to go. And now he's saying turn around and come back.
[Vause:] Indeed, that's one of the things you hear a lot from the settlers who are protesting earlier today, that this man was seen very much as the father of the settlers. He sent them to the hilltops and now he is asking them to come down. They see this as a betrayal. But it's a very different Ariel Sharon who we saw in the Knesset last night opening up the debate with his speech. He talked about pain, which had been delivered to the Palestinians. He also talked about painful concessions. He also said that it was time that the Israelis stood together to show unity. He quoted former prime ministers like Menachem Begin, the last Israeli prime minister to evacuate a settlement. That was the Yamit settlement in the Sinai, when Israel signed a peace agreement with Egypt. But as you say, Daryn, this is certainly a very, very different Ariel Sharon from the prime minister who was elected just a few years ago, and certainly a different Ariel Sharon from the general who has played a part in all of Israel's wars Daryn.
[Kagan:] John Vause in Jerusalem. John, thank you.
[Sanchez:] Let's take you now to another international hot spot. North Korea is rebuffing calls to restart nuclear talks. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell had joined South Korea's efforts to try and jump-start discussions on North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Saying international aid for Pyongyang hung in the balance, but North Korea says Washington's quote, "hostile policies" make such diplomacy simply impossible.
[Kagan:] We expect to get some answers today in the crash of Flight 587 in New York. Still to come, findings from a just-released NTSB report. Find out who is blaming what.
[Sanchez:] Also, some are spreading their wings while others are tucking them in. Still to come, several major airlines are facing important decisions today. A look at how it could alter your travel plans.