Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
Arafat Orders Cease-Fire in the Middle East
Aired June 02, 2001 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: We begin in the Middle East, where a terrorist attack in Israel has propelled the regional conflict to a new level of tension. A suicide bombing in Tel Aviv last evening killed 19 people, injured scores more. Now, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has ordered an immediate cease-fire.
CNN's Jerrold Kessel has the latest from Jerusalem, where public demonstrations calling for retaliation are turning violent.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Disbelief and anguish among Israelis who the day after came to visit the scene of Friday night's suicide bombing, and anger too.
"The government shouldn't be frightened," says this man, "The people would be totally behind them if they went to war. Much better," he adds, "To die fighting for Israel in war than like dirt here."
Those killed by the suicide bomber were almost all teenage girls and boys. All but one identified as immigrants from Russia. They were among those lining up to enter the night spot known as the Dolfi (ph) discotheque on the bustling Tel Aviv waterfront.
An angry crowd gathered outside where the Israeli leadership was convening an extraordinary session to decide how to respond, the demand there for vehement action against Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority. Emerging from the meeting, Israeli cabinet secretary declared Israel holds the Palestinian Authority directly responsible and will take all necessary measures to defend its citizens, but stopped short of saying whether Mr. Sharon's self-proclaimed policy of restraint of the last 10 days is now over.
CHEMI SHALEV, ISRAELI POLITICAL ANALYST: What we have to realize I think is that with this terrorist action, we have crossed some sort of Rubicon, and I don't think that we will see the same type of response that we have seen before.
KESSEL: Yasser Arafat declared the Palestinian Authority is ready to work for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire, but he did not elaborate on what concrete steps he will take.
TERJE LARSEN, U.N. MIDEAST ENVOY: Arafat is stretching out his hand, however, they have to be followed by deeds. And this is the test of the statement. I do hope that Mr. Arafat gathers his top security officials today.
KESSEL: But the U.N. envoy, who together with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer had met with Yasser Arafat before the Palestinian statement, says the onus is on Israel too.
LARSEN: Both sides have, number one, to show restrained and both sides have to get order in their ranks and to give the right orders.
KESSEL: Hundreds of irate Israelis kept up an hour's long running battle with police and with some Israeli Arabs whom they tried to attack within the mosque, right near the scene of Friday night's bloody events. Police reported several arrests and injuries.
(on camera): With the area now very much on tenterhooks, Prime Minister Sharon has called off a planned visit to Western Europe. The Palestinian Authority, fearing an Israeli strike, has closed its offices and ordered all staff to remain at home. And some U.N. staff have been evacuated from Gaza.
(voice-over): What happened here could be a turning point. Diplomatic sources tell CNN the Israeli government has indicated it will hold off with military action for 24, perhaps 48 hours to see whether Yasser Arafat acts on his declaration. Any new terror act, Israelis said, would however immediately trigger swift and very heavy Israeli action.
Jerrold Kassel, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KELLEY: And Christiane Amanpour is in Jerusalem, she is on our sister network, CNN International right now. She will be joining us in just a couple of minutes.
President Bush is condemning the latest terrorist attack in Israel, calling a suicide bombing a heinous attack against innocent civilians. Mr. Bush is urging Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat to call for an immediate cease-fire, which, as we have told you, he has now ordered that his security force implement an immediate cease-fire.
Secretary of State Colin Powell wants the same thing, adding that Arafat should take action to bring those responsible to justice. Despite U.S. help, analysts say the resolution to this conflict cannot come from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONATHAN ALTERMAN, U.S. INSTITUTE FOR PEACE: He doesn't have the credibility that you really need to change the situation on the ground. Ultimately, the solution is going to have to come from at least the inclination of people over there, and Washington can hope and hope and try to cajole and try to pressure some, but ultimately, people in the Middle East have to make that decision. It's not a decision that can be made in Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
