Looking for the Knockout

ALBANY, NEW YORK: It took a strong showing in South Carolina to make Bob Dole again the front runner for the Republican nomination. With 259 delegates at stake in the 'Junior Tuesday' contests, he now hopes that a good day will take him most of the way to victory. Dole leads the polls in all ten states holding primaries and caucuses and said a sweep could give him the nomination. Campaigning in advance of New York's Thursday primary, Dole sensed his campaign was gaining steam: "New York could do it," he told a cheering crowd in Albany. "New York could do it. It would demoralize every other candidate in this race." The other candidates acknowledged Dole's surge. With polls showing him lagging well behind Dole in all ten states today and the Republican leadership starting to push Lamar Alexander to step aside after a series of disappointing primary finishes, Alexander pinned his hopes on next Tuesday's Florida primary. "If he beats me in Florida, I'll gladly get out. But if I ever beat him, he's out." But even though Alexander senior consultant Mike Murphy has vowed "We'll keep going until it's me and Lamar and a minivan," unless Alexander makes a strong showing over the next week, the end may be near.Arafat, Peres' Fate Tied to HamasJERUSALEM: The irony of recent events in the Middle East is that after years spent as sworn enemies, Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat now find their political fates are inexorably intertwined. That both will stand or fall on the strength of the peace process has been immeasurably complicated by the recent Hamas bombing campaign. Both men are under pressure to not be seen as caving in to the other. Although Peres has responded to Monday's attack by closing off the homes of suspected Hamas members, destroying the houses of the suicide bombers, and sealing off the West Bank and Gaza, Israelis don't think he has gone far enough. "Israelis are demanding much harsher retribution for recent bombings," says TIME's Lisa Beyer. "But contrary to impressions in the West, Peres' response to recent attacks is measured. He is not pandering to public opinion." Such moves have put Arafat in a difficult position. "The Israelis have staked out their position," says Beyer. "It is now up to Arafat to join in. If he is a partner, he has to be able to rein in the militants." By entering the West Bank in full force, and in effect ignoring Yasser Arafat as a viable ally, Israel is undermining Arafat's authority and legitimacy. "Arafat is stuck between a rock and a hard place," reports Beyer. "His position among Palestinians is more important to him than the security of the Israeli people. He can't risk a civil war."Clinton Gets Tough On Terrorism