U.S.-backed Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas resigned this weekend, blaming both Arafat and Israel for undermining peace efforts. His move could force Israel, the United States and Yasser Arafat to offer stronger support to the next Palestinian leader. And the most likely candidate, Ahmed Qurei, said he will not take the job unless he gets that support.

But with Israel going for the Hamas jugular, Arafat continuing to flex his muscles, and neither Israelis nor Palestinians adhering to the road map, experts wonder whether Qurei can fare better than Abbas did, and whether the already battered hopes for peace have a chance.

Click the “Listen” link to hear about the most recent Palestinian power struggle and the prospects for peace in the Middle East.

Guests:

Barry Rubin, Director of Global Research in International Affairs Center and author of “Yasir Arafat: A Political Diary”

Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development at University of Maryland, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and author of “The Stakes: American and the Middle East” and “Identity and Foreign Policy in the Middle East”

Edward Walker, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs from 1999 to 2001, and former ambassador to Israel, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates

Michael Tarazi, legal and communications advisor for the Palestine Liberation Organization