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Shia rebels and activists demanding independence in Yemen's south have rejected the call for a six-region federation. Just the day before, President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi had proudly approved the plan.

He wants federalism included in Yemen's new constitution, something that will be put to a vote in a referendum. The desire for autonomy in the south has been an issue for almost as long as Yemen has been one country.

But does the plan create poor and wealthy regions, as the rebels insist it does? And will it address the deep divisions and mistrust inside Yemen?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests: Joseph Kechichian, a senior writer at Gulf News

Abdul-Ghani al-Iryani, a political analyst and vice president of the Khobara Centre

Saeed Yafai, the chairman of the executive bureau of the consultancy Forum of Southerners in Sanaa

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Shia rebels and activists demanding independence in Yemen's south have rejected the call for a six-region federation. Just the day before, President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi had proudly approved the plan. He wants federalism included in Yemen's new constitution, something that will be put to a vote in a referendum.

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From a political and strategic perspective this [one state solution] is the end of the Jewish state, this is the end of the initial Zionist idea.

Shlomo Ben Ami

The ideology of Zionism, which calls for the establishment of a Jewish state, has dictated Israeli politics for decades.

But is it compatible with a democratic Israel? And can a state exclusively for Jews be a genuine democracy?

Palestinians argue that Zionism has become a byword for racism and colonial expansion.

In this episode, Mehdi Hasan challenges Shlomo Ben Ami , the former Israeli foreign minister and avowed liberal Zionist, on the challenges of Zionism and the failures of the Israeli peace camp.

Also joining the discussion are: Avi Shlaim, a renowned new historian and emeritus professor of international relations at the University of Oxford; Paul Charney, the chairman of the Zionist Federation; and Diana Buttu, a Palestinian lawyer and legal advisor to the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
Watch other episodes of Head to Head Read the full transcript of Head to Head - Is Zionism compatible with democracy? here

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From a political and strategic perspective this [one state solution] is the end of the Jewish state, this is the end of the initial Zionist idea. Shlomo Ben Ami The ideology of Zionism, which calls for the establishment of a Jewish state, has dictated Israeli politics for decades.

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After Israel refused to release the prisoners, the Palestinians requested to join several UN agencies [EPA]

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has threatened to take unilateral action against Palestinians, if they press ahead with moves towards statehood.

"These will only make a peace agreement more distant," Netanyahu said of applications the Palestinians made on Tuesday to adhere to 15 international treaties.

"Any unilateral moves they take will be answered by unilateral moves at our end."

Netanyahu, speaking at his government's weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, said Israel wanted peace talks "but not at any price", in his first public comments on the crisis over peace talks with the Palestinians.

The US-brokered peace talks have veered towards collapse since Israel refused to release a fourth batch of Palestinian prisoners last weekend, as it had previously agreed as a condition of the talks.

Israel said the prisoners would not be released unless it had assurances the Palestinians would continue negotiations beyond their scheduled deadline on April 29.

Israel and Palestinian negotiators were due to meet with US envoy Martin Indyk on Sunday, in the first recent sign of a breakthrough in attempts to revive the negotiations.
Livni wants direct talks
Israel's chief negotiator Tzipi Livni, however, on Saturday suggested the US should change its role in the peace process, allowing for more direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

"Part of what happened in the past few months was more negotiations between us and the United States and less with the Palestinians," Livni told Channel Two's Meet the Press on Saturday.

"I believe we need to move to more meetings, more direct negotiations, more than we have had so far, and I think the Americans know this," Livni said. "American involvement - yes, but as facilitators of bilateral negotiations."

The United States has criticised "unhelpful, unilateral actions" by both sides, with Secretary of State John Kerry describing the current scenario as "reality check" time after negative Israeli and Palestinian moves.

After Israel refused to release the Palestinian prisoners, Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, on Tuesday signed a request to join several UN agencies.

"The Palestinian leadership has unanimously approved a decision to seek membership of 15 UN agencies and international treaties, beginning with the Fourth Geneva Convention," Abbas said, after signing the demand during a meeting at his Ramallah headquarters in the occupied West Bank.

"The demands [for membership] will be sent immediately" to the relevant agencies, he said.

"This is not a move against America, or any other party - it is our right, and we agreed to suspend it for nine months," said Abbas.

Al Jazeera's Stefanie Dekker, reporting from Jerusalem, described the current stalemate as "a blame game".

"We've been here many times before over the years. If you ask the people in Israel and the Palestinians they're not confident that these issues can be resolved," our reporter said.

Meanwhile, Israeli jets attacked five sites in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Sunday, hours after a rocket from the Palestinian enclave hit Israel.

No injuries were reported by the Palestinians. The Israeli army said it targeted four sites in northern Gaza and a fifth in the south of the coastal territory.

On Saturday night, a rocket fired from Gaza hit an open area near Ashkelon in southern Israel without causing damage or injuries, the army and police said.

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Israel warns Palestine of unilateral action

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Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has threatened to take unilateral action against Palestinians, if they press ahead with moves towards statehood. "These will only make a peace agreement more distant," Netanyahu said of applications the Palestinians made on Tuesday to adhere to 15 international treaties.