Journalist David Horovitz never felt threatened by the violence in Jerusalem, until he was nearly killed by a suicide bomber. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the thin line between the personal and the political in the Middle East. Also, playwright David Hare's daring one-man show about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Englishman David Horovitz emigrated to the Middle East in 1983 and now works as a journalist in Jerusalem. He tells Jim Fleming about the terrorist bombing that just missed killing him, and how his family deals with the dangers of living in such a violent place. His book is called "A Little Too Close to God: The Thrills and Panic of a Life in Israel."

British playwright David Hare made a life-changing visit to Israel and the Occupied Territories, then wrote a one-man play ("Via Dolorosa") about his experiences there. The play was a success and enjoyed a long run on Broadway. Hare talks with Steve Paulson about performing the play, and we hear several excerpts from the production.

Claudia Roden tells Anne Strainchamps about some of the recipes from "A Book of Middle Eastern Food," and explains some of the flavor and spice combinations to be found in the "New Book of Middle Eastern Food." Also, Nancy Huston talks with Jim Fleming about the Algerian war of independence from France which lies at the heart of her novel, "The Mark of the Angel."

Distribution dates:

• week of 11/05/2000 - hour 1