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CNN Live At Daybreak

Prominent Fatah Member Killed; Mubarak Meets With Bush

Aired March 04, 2002 - 06:04   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East more violence today. Palestinian security forces say a prominent member of the militant wing of Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement was killed today in a gun battle with Israeli troops.

CNN's Jerrold Kessel joins us now from Jerusalem with more on this -- Jerrold.

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Morning.

After the battering, Kyra, that the Israelis have received over the weekend from Palestinian: suicide bombing in Jerusalem, attack on the Israeli soldiers, and settlers at a checkpoint, which killed 10 Israelis there and also 10 in that suicide bombing, incidents which the Palestinians say was as a result of the battering they've been receiving at the hands of the Israeli Army in the West Bank in Gaza.

The Israeli Security Cabinet deciding last night on very top policy in response to the Palestinian attack. The exact wording of that Israeli Cabinet position was this that the ministers had approved an operational program presented by the Army to apply constant military pressure on the Palestinian Authority and on terrorist organizations.

And we are seeing some of that constant pressure now through the night and into this morning from the Israelis in the respect of a number of places in Jenin in the refugee camp outside Jenin on the West Bank. Their tanks have again gone in and according to Palestinians, there is a serious developing situation out of this. At least two Palestinians have been killed including that gunman of the Al Aqsa Brigade, those who took responsibility for the suicide bombing and the attack on the Israeli checkpoint yesterday.

But in addition to that, at least one civilian, a 60-year old woman and according now in the last few minutes, Palestinian sources saying at least two other Palestinians killed in the ongoing battles there, and what the Palestinians are saying worrying most of all is that the Israeli Army is not allowing medical services and ambulances to get through and at least one of these people have died of injuries, bled to death -- so that a developing situation. The Israeli Army not commenting on that allegation by the Palestinian that there are these battles and people are -- that medical relief is not being allowed through. The Israeli Army has also been in action in the southern part of Gaza in the Rafah district there. They said they were searching for tunnels that bring weapons through from Egypt into Gaza. Gun battles developing there too, and another two Palestinian gunmen shot and killed by the Israeli troops and a Palestinian civilian.

So all told, at least five there, another Palestinian killed at a checkpoint, and Israel has imposed another breakup of the Gaza Strip, not allowing traffic to flow freely and this has meant that Palestinians are forced to do detours and walk along the beach to get from one destination, one town to another in Gaza. So all in all Israel definitely stepping up this pressure on the Palestinians after the battering that the Israelis have taken over this weekend with more than 20 Israelis killed in a series of Palestinian actions -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And what about disagreement within the Israeli Cabinet, Jerrold?

KESSEL: Well there was a lot of talk that going into this crucial meeting last night of the inner security Cabinet, but it seems really that above the differences you've seen much more unity in positions and if -- it's not so much that you've got disagreement about whether they should do away with Yasser Arafat and his Palestinian Authority as the right-flank demands or the left-flank has been saying, get back to negotiations.

It seems now the only differences between those who say Yasser Arafat is in no way a partner, should be shoved aside and those on the left are saying no, Israel needs an address to whom -- which we can issue its demands for more crackdown.

And Ariel Sharon in the middle saying, he can bridge those differences by carrying out this forceful policy. Well there may be something of a debatable point in there since the forceful policy is directed specifically as the Israeli Cabinet made clear against those forces within the Palestinian community who are directly aligned to the Palestinian Authority and to Yasser Arafat.

So I think in some we can see the message giving out by one of the Cabinet ministers who said our policy now is to try to make the Palestinians pressure them to the extent that they will eventually cry out appeal for a cease-fire. Israel seemed to be going relentlessly towards in that direction in the wake of these fierce Palestinian attacks that have been on the Israelis -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Jerrold Kessel live in Jerusalem. Thank you.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is in Washington, and he's on a peace mission, seeking a way to end the violence in the Middle East. As CNN White House correspondent John King reports, there is no simple solution.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Middle East diplomacy is one of the president's major challenges in the days ahead. A weekend of deadly violence between Israelis and Palestinians only raising the pressure for the White House to do more.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Both sides now have to do everything to apply restraint, to stop the terror, to stop the daily exchange of fire as going back and forth.

KING: Egypt's flag across the street from the White House. President Hosni Mubarak is in Washington to urge Mr. Bush to take a more personal role in the crisis. Saudi Arabia also says U.S. pressure is critical if a new Saudi peace plan is to gain momentum. In an interview with "Time" Crown Prince Abdullah said, "If the United States assumes the primary role, it will give the process great credibility and effectiveness. If the U.S. has no desire to contribute to this, it should let others do it".

The Saudi plan calls for Israel to completely withdraw from all territories occupied since 1967 -- the West Bank, Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem. In exchange, Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations would offer Israel full normalization of relations.

JAMES STEINBERG, FMR. DEP. SECURITY ADVISER: And I think that it may be appropriate now to bring both Israelis and Palestinians together to discuss these ideas. It doesn't necessarily have to begin at the level of Prime Minister Sharon and Chairman Arafat.

KING: The Bush White House has resisted taking such a middleman role until it sees more evidence both sides are committed to peace and the obstacles to the Saudi plan will dominate the Bush-Mubarak discussions. The White House wants Egypt and other Arab nations to pressure Palestinian leader Arafat to do more to stop attacks on Israel.

President Mubarak and other Arab leaders in turn say only direct pressure from Mr. Bush will get Israeli Prime Minister Sharon back to the bargaining table. Pressure for the president to do more is rising with the Israeli-Palestinian death toll. At least 75 people killed in the past week, more than 1,200 over the last 18 months.

And that Arab pressure for the White House to do more including a more spirited White House backing of the Saudi peace proposal will only intensify as Vice President Cheney heads to the Middle East at the end of this week.

John King, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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