Efraim Halevy

David Jessel talks to a former Head of Mossad, Efraim Halevy. Can Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, fulfil his vision for Israel without Palestinian cooperation?

For five years Efraim Halevy was the head of Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad.

It was a period when Yasser Arafat was confined to his compound in Ramallah and a number of Hamas leaders were killed.

But Efraim Halevy is credited with building contacts between Israeli and Arab leaders.

In the aftermath of the Israeli Election he talks to David Jessel about where the Middle East peace process is going now, with a new Israeli political party, a new Prime Minister and a new Palestinian Government led by Hamas.

HARDtalk can be seen on BBC World at 0430 GMT, 1130 GMT, 1530 GMT, 1930 GMT, 0030 GMT

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 0430 and 2330