The European Union and United States have been quick to warn Palestine’s new government about continuing its violence against Israel. If Hamas does not follow requests to accept the existence of Israel, it will receive no money from the EU or US. The EU is the Palestinian Authority’s largest donor. It gives over $606 million a year to help pay for a Palestinian government. US President George W. Bush too said he would cut funding worth around $400 million. Both the EU and US classify Hamas as a terrorist group. They are hoping the threat of financial ruin will make Hamas change its ways.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on countries around the world to follow the USA and EU in cutting aid to Hamas. Rice said that: “Hamas doesn’t recognize Israel, encourages violence and refuses to be a responsible party to the peace process.…We cannot have funding for an organization that holds those views just because it is in government.” A bankrupt PA means it would not be able to pay its officials and police force. This would bring Palestine’s government to its knees. It would also increase the danger of total anarchy. Ms. Rice hopes talks this week will avoid such a dangerous crisis.

WARM-UPS

1. PEACE: How important is a peaceful life to you? Is every day peaceful for you? In pairs / groups, talk about how lucky or unlucky you are to live in a peaceful country / neighborhood. What do you think life would be like without peace? How would your day be different if there was no peace in your country?

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words are most interesting and which are most boring.

Warnings / violence / Israel / money / Palestinian Authority / funding / Hamas / terrorist groups / aid / Middle East peace process / bankruptcy / police force / crisis

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

3. PREDICTION: Talk with your partner(s) about what you think the article will be about. Use the words in the “chat” section above to help you. Change partners and share and compare your predictions.

4. HEADLINES: In pairs / groups, talk about these “headlines”. Develop the stories. How possible do you think it is that they might become real? How would the world change if these headlines actually happened?

1. Hamas to receive financial aid from Iran
2. Civil war breaks out in Palestine
3. Hamas leader wins Nobel Peace Prize
4. Hamas leader invited for talks at the White House
5. Palestine and Israel to sign a peace treaty
6. Regional war threatens Middle East
7. Palestinian Authority officially bankrupt
8. China to finance Palestinian Authority

5. KNEE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “knee”. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. THE PLAYERS: What do each of the following people think about Hamas’ election victory? Discuss this with your partner(s).

An unemployed Palestinian worker US President George W. Bush Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert An Al Jazeera TV journalist

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Senior Hamas figure Mahmoud Zahar An average Israeli You

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Many roads in Palestine were broken at the weekend.	T / F
b.	Hamas could face big financial difficulties for not listening to the EU.	T / F
c.	The EU is the Palestine Authority’s largest financial donor.	T / F
d.	The EU and US classify Hamas as a terror group.	T / F
e.	Condoleezza Rice has urged countries to cut aid to Hamas.	T / F
f.	Condoleezza Rice said the US will not fund anyone that has views.	T / F
g.	There is a real possibility that Palestine’s police force will not be paid.	T / F
h.	Ms. Rice will hold talks this week to fuel the crisis.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	warn	lawlessness
b.	accept	collapse
c.	cut	asked
d.	classify	mature
e.	ruin	discontinue
f.	called on	broke
g.	responsible	caution
h.	party	rate
i.	bankrupt	respect
j.	anarchy	group

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	quick to warn Palestine’s	organization that holds those views
b.	it will receive no	around $400 million
c.	The EU is the PA’s largest	new government
d.	cut funding worth	money from the EU or US
e.	make Hamas change	to the peace process
f.	Rice called on countries around	to its knees
g.	a responsible party	its ways
h.	We cannot have funding for an	donor
i.	bring Palestine’s government	of total anarchy
j.	increase the danger	the world to follow the USA

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words in the column on the right into the gaps in the text.

A rocky road ahead for Hamas

The European Union and United States have been ________ to warn Palestine’s new government about continuing its violence against Israel. If Hamas does not ________ requests to accept the ________ of Israel, it will receive no money from the EU or US. The EU is the Palestinian Authority’s largest ________. It gives over $606 million a year to ________ pay for a Palestinian government. US President George W. Bush too said he would cut ________ worth around $400 million. Both the EU and US ________ Hamas as a terrorist group. They are hoping the threat of financial ________ will make Hamas change its ways.		existence help classify quick ruin follow donor funding
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on countries around the world to ________ the USA and EU in cutting aid to Hamas. Rice said that: “Hamas doesn’t ________ Israel, encourages violence and refuses to be a responsible ________ to the peace process.…We cannot have funding for an organization that ________ those views just because it is in government.” A ________ PA means it would not be able to pay its ________ and police force. This would bring Palestine’s government to its ________. It would also increase the danger of total anarchy. Ms. Rice hopes talks this week will ________ such a dangerous crisis.		officials holds recognize avoid bankrupt follow knees party

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

A rocky road ahead for Hamas

The European Union and United States have been quick to ______ Palestine’s new government about continuing its violence against Israel. If Hamas does not ______ requests to accept the existence of Israel, it will ______ no money from the EU or US. The EU is the Palestinian Authority’s largest ______. It gives over $606 million a year to help pay for a Palestinian government. US President George W. Bush too said he would ______ funding worth around $400 million. Both the EU and US ________ Hamas as a terrorist group. They are hoping the threat of financial _____ will make Hamas change its ways.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice _______ on countries around the world to follow the USA and EU in cutting aid to Hamas. Rice said that: “Hamas doesn’t __________ Israel, encourages violence and ________ to be a responsible party to the peace process.…We cannot have funding for an organization that ________ those views just because it is in government.” A bankrupt PA means it would not be able to pay its officials and police ________. This would bring Palestine’s government to its ________. It would also increase the danger of total anarchy. Ms. Rice hopes talks this week will ________ such a dangerous crisis.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘change’ and ‘way’.

• Share your findings with your partners.
• Make questions using the words you found.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

• Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT “PALESTINE” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about Palestine and Hamas.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

quick follow receive help cut ruin

around recognize party holds force avoid

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
2. What do you think of Hamas’ victory?
3. How do you think Hamas will reshape Middle Eastern politics?
4. What do you think of the EU’s threat to cancel aid to the Palestinian Authority?
5. Do you think the EU and US should / will cut humanitarian aid to the Palestinians?
6. Do you think Palestine’s neighbors are happy with the rise of Hamas?
7. What would happen in Palestine if anarchy broke out?
8. What is your country’s view on Hamas?
9. Do you think Condoleezza Rice’s words and actions are helpful?
10. What do you think are the chances of Hamas doing as America asks?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What do you think about what you read?
3. Do you agree with Condoleezza Rice?
4. What do you think would happen if the Palestinian Authority became bankrupt?
5. What do you think will happen to the Road Map for Peace?
6. Do you think the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority will receive funding from its Arab neighbors?
7. How do you think the world would react if Hamas received aid from Iran?
8. How much of a crisis do you think Palestine is in?
9. Do you think the world should give Hamas a chance?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
4. What did you like talking about?
5. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

THE PLAYERS: Look at the list of “players” in the Middle East and the peace process. In pairs / groups, role play conversations between any two of these people:

• An unemployed Palestinian worker
• US President George W. Bush
• Interim Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
• An Al Jazeera TV journalist
• Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
• Senior Hamas figure Mahmoud Zahar
• An average Israeli

The conversations should be about:

(1) The Hamas victory

(2) Israel

(3) Each other

(4) The other “players” in the list

(5) Peace

After you have finished your mini role plays, change partners and discuss what you said in your roles. How much of what you said do you believe in?

How different do you think real conversations between the “players” might be?

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on Hamas. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?

3. HEADLINE: Choose one of the headlines from those on page 3. Write the newspaper article that supports the headline. Read your report to your partner(s) in your next class. Did you all write about similar things?

4. A DAY IN THE LIFE: You live in Palestine. What are your thoughts on what is happening in the world today? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Did everyone have similar days and thoughts?

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. F

c. T

d. T

e. F

f. F

g. F

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	warn	caution
b.	accept	respect
c.	cut	discontinue
d.	classify	rate
e.	ruin	collapse
f.	called on	asked
g.	responsible	mature
h.	party	group
i.	bankrupt	broke
j.	anarchy	lawlessness

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	quick to warn Palestine’s	new government
b.	it will receive no	money from the EU or US
c.	The EU is the PA’s largest	donor
d.	cut funding worth	around $400 million
e.	make Hamas change	its ways
f.	Rice called on countries around	the world to follow the USA
g.	a responsible party	to the peace process
h.	We cannot have funding for an	organization that holds those views
i.	bring Palestine’s government	to its knees
j.	increase the danger	of total anarchy

GAP FILL:

A rocky road ahead for Hamas

The European Union and United States have been quick to warn Palestine’s new government about continuing its violence against Israel. If Hamas does not follow requests to accept the existence of Israel, it will receive no money from the EU or US. The EU is the Palestinian Authority’s largest donor. It gives over $606 million a year to help pay for a Palestinian government. US President George W. Bush too said he would cut funding worth around $400 million. Both the EU and US classify Hamas as a terrorist group. They are hoping the threat of financial ruin will make Hamas change its ways.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on countries around the world to follow the USA and EU in cutting aid to Hamas. Rice said that: “Hamas doesn’t recognize Israel, encourages violence and refuses to be a responsible party to the peace process.…We cannot have funding for an organization that holds those views just because it is in government.” A bankrupt PA means it would not be able to pay its officials and police force. This would bring Palestine’s government to its knees. It would also increase the danger of total anarchy. Ms. Rice hopes talks this week will avoid such a dangerous crisis.