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CNN Live At Daybreak

Talks Resume After Weekend Violence in Israel

Aired March 25, 2002 - 06:05   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get the latest on the violence in the Middle East and the efforts to bring about that cease- fire. U.S. Envoy Anthony Zinni meets again today with Israeli and Palestinian security officials. And we want to take you live now to Jerusalem for more on that. Our John Vause is there -- good morning once again, John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Well, a weekend of violence here again; at least 12 people killed. Casualties on both sides, 10 Palestinians, two Israelis killed in separate incidents.

Now despite that, talk of a cease-fire continues. As you mentioned, all sides met with the U.S. envoy here, General Anthony Zinni, last night. They met for about three hours.

At that meeting -- they all met separately -- but Anthony Zinni put forth compromise proposals to both sides. Now today, the Israeli prime minister is meeting with some members of his cabinet -- the Palestinians are meeting as well -- to discuss those bridging proposals. Now today, Yasser Arafat also is meeting with the E.U. envoy, who is also here.

Now, the Israelis are also discussing whether or not to allow Yasser Arafat to attend the Arab summit in Beirut, which begins on Wednesday. They had said repeatedly that the conditions for lifting a travel ban, which has been in place on Mr. Arafat for the last four months, is that he demonstrates a willingness to crack down on militants. So far, the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, says that the Palestinian leader has not earned his ticket to Beirut, but there is, in fact, growing pressure on the Israeli prime minister to allow Yasser Arafat to attend that summit.

Plus notably coming over the weekend from the U.S. vice president, Dick Cheney, who said it was probably a good thing that Mr. Arafat attends that summit. Now, the theory there is if Mr. Arafat does, in fact, attend that summit, it could add momentum to a Saudi peace proposal, which will be put forward at that summit.

Now, the problem for the Israeli prime minister is that if he lifts that travel ban, it could be seen as a sign of weakness by many within his own government, who have been pushing for a tougher crackdown on the Palestinians. But if he maintains that travel ban and leaves Mr. Arafat here in Ramallah, then that could, in fact, overshadow the Arab summit, shifting the focus away from that peace plan and onto the plight of Yasser Arafat -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Just no easy answers, are there? And the violence just keeps happening. So they just seem to be stuck once again.

VAUSE: A weekend of violence -- it does, in fact, keep happening, yes. A weekend of violence here, as we said -- but as we said, 10 Palestinians, the casualties continue to mount. And the issue here is still yet to be resolved.

Obviously the issue with the Tenet plan is still many, many steps away, but there are many issues there to be discussed. The Tenet plan has never actually been made public. However, the Palestinians do want a very quick move to discussions on the political process, quickly move to the Mitchell plan, but the Israelis -- and also the Palestinians want a quick withdrawal by the Israelis back to the territory, which they held before the intifada began in September of 2000. The Israelis for their part want a more staged, a more phased withdrawal, while the Palestinians demonstrate their willingness to crack down on those militants -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. John Vause reporting live for us from Jerusalem this morning -- we thank you.

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