Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas Continues; Protests Continue in Egypt; Political Pundits Discuss Hamas
KAYE: Welcome back, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. Here are five stories that we are watching this morning. Sad news from the world of entertainment. Actor Larry Hagman has died. His family says it was complications from cancer. Hagman is best known for his iconic performance as J.R. Ewing on the TV show "Dallas." He was the ultimate villain. But today, people are remembering him as much more. Peter Fonda said goodbye to his friend on twitter, saying Hagman brought so much fun to everyone's life. Number two, hundreds came out to protest at Walmart stores across the U.S. on black Friday. The group "Our Walmart" says it's fighting for better wages and better health care. The protestors didn't deter shoppers, though. The company said this black Friday was its, quote, "best ever." Former world boxing champion Hector "Macho" Camacho has died. He was taken off life support at a hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico, today after suffering a heart attack. The 50-year-old was declared clinically brain dead earlier in the week after being shot in the face on Tuesday. Police are looking for the gunman and another suspect. The sounds of protests in Egypt's capital, Cairo. Demonstrators are furious at what they say is the president's new power grab. Mohamed Morsi has issued a decree disabling the courts and giving himself unchecked powers. Egypt's Muslim brotherhood is coming to Morsi's support. It's called for nationwide demonstrations tomorrow and a million man march starting Tuesday in Cairo. The body of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will be exhumed on Tuesday. Forensic experts from France, Switzerland, and Russia will take samples to test for possible poisoning. Mr. Arafat's body will then be reburied in a military ceremony in Ramallah in the West Bank. Palestinian officials hope the test will clear up questions over whether Arafat's death in 2004 was the result of poisoning by a radioactive substance. Let's get back to the Middle East now. There is a ceasefire in place. That is good for now. But the violence could easily spark up again without a long-term solution. Joining me now from Ramallah is Diana Buttu, a former Palestinian negotiator and adviser for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Now she is at the Institute for Middle East Understanding. Diana, good morning to you. What do you see is the most important issue for Palestinians?</s>DIANA BUTTU, INSTITUTE FOR MIDDLE EAST UNDERSTANDING: Good morning. Well, I think if we're going to be honest and move forward, then we're going to have to begin to address Israel's 45-year military occupation, and in particular, it's ongoing siege and blockade of the Gaza Strip. That's with respect to Gaza. But in terms of the bigger picture, it's not just a question of Gaza, but also a question of Israel finally ending its military rule over Palestinians living in the West Bank and in east Jerusalem as well. This is the only way that we're going to begin to move forward in this region. Without addressing this underlying problem, which is Israel's denial of freedom to millions of Palestinians, then we're just going to continue to see violence in the Middle East.</s>KAYE: Many folks in Gaza, of course, want this blockade lifted so they can go in and out at their free will. But if Israel were to abandon the blockade, especially on the Egyptian border, what is to stop the flow of weapons from Iran into Gaza?</s>BUTTU: Well, it's important to look back in history and to see how the border was actually operated in the past. And in the past, from 2005 onward, there were European monitors at that border making sure precisely what was coming in and what was going out. It ended up being that in 2006 these monitors ended up being ousted by Israel, not being allowed in, and this is why we now have these tunnels that are in place. If we want to move forward, it's a question not only of ending the blockade of Gaza in terms of the Egyptian-Gaza border, but also allowing Palestinians who live in the Gaza Strip to see their families in the West Bank as well. And there are arrangements that can be made, particularly with European monitors and other monitors in place. What is not acceptable is to continue a blockade, a six-year-long blockade over the Gaza Strip with only Israel controlling every aspect of Palestinian life, including down to the very caloric intake that they've determined will prevent malnutrition.</s>KAYE: Certainly many of the businesses there have suffered as a result. But you have said that Israel needs to recognize Hamas if there's going to be any chance at lasting peace. But can't the same really be said then for Hamas, that they need to recognize Israel's right to exist?</s>BUTTU: Well, in the past, this is precisely what Hamas has done. The spiritual leader of Hamas came out and said that if Israel ended its occupation over the West Bank in the Gaza Strip that it would enter into a long-term ceasefire, or truce with Israel. He was then assassinated. His successor made similar remarks, was also assassinated. His successor also made similar remarks, was also assassinated. And even the current leader of Hamas has also made similar remarks regarding Israel. So I think if we're going to move forward, it's not just a question of recognizing Hamas, which needs to be done, but also beginning to put into place this idea that we simply can't get rid of Hamas. Hamas is not going to go away and that Israel has -- and the United States has to now deal with them.</s>KAYE: Can there really, though, be peace as long as the Palestinians are split into these two factions? You have the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in charge in Gaza.</s>BUTTU: Well, the fact that there is a split between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip has certainly hurt Palestinian interests, but it shouldn't be used as an excuse to continue to allow Israel to deny millions of Palestinians their freedom. This is what is precisely been done. Israel comes forward and says we refuse to talk to Hamas. We don't want to talk to Mahmoud Abbas. So the settlements continue. The land confiscation continues, the blockade continues. So rather than the world looking for excuses as to why not to pressure Israel, they should be looking for reasons so as to pressure Israel to finally end its military rule over the Palestinians and let them live in freedom.</s>KAYE: Diana Buttu, thank you so much for your time this morning from Ramallah. Looking for a solution on the fiscal cliff, one senator now bucking the party line. But will that help get a deal done? We'll look into it.