Standing on the brink
Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon engaged in their first joust as rival national leaders this week and the portents could hardly be bleaker. Graham Usher reports from "encircled" Ramallah

Trenches, arrows and Goldstein
As Israel's new prime minister, Ariel Sharon, began his term the Israeli army has turned Palestinian towns and villages into concentration camps. Khaled Amayreh reports from occupied Jerusalem

New and improved?
A bolder Mohamed Khatami defends his presidency, indicating his intention to run again. Azadeh Moaveni reviews his historic address to parliament