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CNN Live Today

Interview With Alon Pinkas

Aired March 29, 2002 - 14:21   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We continue our conversation now about what's taking place in the Middle East with Alon Pinkas. He is Israeli consul general and he is joining us from New York. Mr. Pinks, thank you for joining us. Appreciate your time.

ALON PINKAS, ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL: My pleasure, Daryn.

KAGAN: Earlier did you have a chance to hear what Colin Powell had to say?

PINKAS: Of course.

KAGAN: And you're reaction, that he was much stronger on the Palestinians than he was on the Israeli action that's taking place today in Ramallah.

PINKAS: It's perfectly understandable. Colin Powell is the secretary of state of the United States. And in that capacity, he has all the information that's needed to know the facts of the matter -- what the fact of the matters are in these -- in this case, or in these occurrences. As does General Zinni. As did incidentally, Daryn, Vice President Cheney, when he was in the region.

KAGAN: The secretary as very clear today that he appreciates Israel's right to defend itself. But he asked Prime Minister Sharon to consider the consequences of Israel's action. That it's more than just getting revenge.

PINKAS: I think that is an appropriate remark. I think that we are considering the consequences. We know that there are implications and ramifications for any action of this size or on this scale. We knew this coming into the -- or entering this military offensive. That, incidentally, Daryn, is why we've been extremely restrained in the last several months, and specifically the last several weeks before doing, before launching such an attack, because of the ramifications.

KAGAN: Let's look at today. What is -- what is the end game? The Israelis have made it clear to the U.S., and tried to make it clear to other leaders, that Yasser Arafat is not the target. He will not be killed in this action. And if not that, then what is the purpose of going in and practically destroying his headquarters?

PINKAS: Well, Daryn, he's not the target, nor is he the solution to anything here. And we've been saying that for the last 18 months. The purpose of going into Ramallah and into other Palestinian cities is to route out the terrorists, to demolish and obliterate the infrastructure. To do all those things that Arafat said he will do, committed himself to doing -- vowed he would do.

He promised American presidents, Israeli prime ministers, Russian presidents, British foreign ministers, what have you, but always found a way to lie his way out of it. To renege on any and every promise that he has ever made.

KAGAN: You ask him to do this and in fact, Secretary Powell was asking him to do this as well yet again today. And yet, if you go in and destroy his infrastructure, if he's in a headquarters that doesn't so much as have electricity or phones, how, in fact, is he to lead, and how is he to try to rein in the violence? As he says, his hands are tied.

PINKAS: Well, truthfully, I'm skeptical, Daryn, that he's capable or willing of doing what we asked him to do, what we've been imploring him to do. Not for the last 18 months since Camp David, but since Oslo, since 1993. Having said that, I wouldn't be so sympathetic to the electricity problem that he has. This compound that we're talking about is 10 buildings strong. So when you're talking about room to room warfare, it's not as if we're advancing our way until we get to little Yasser's play room. This is not the case at all.

In that compound, you have dozens of wanted individuals. People who have either planned or perpetrated attacks against Israelis. People whom he's been harboring for the last several weeks. People, unfortunately, feeling comfortable in the confines of his building, or set of buildings of the compound -- feeling comfortable enough to...

KAGAN: We've been hearing differing reports throughout the day about arrests that were made. We're hearing from Israeli sources that as many as 60 to 70 people arrested. Palestinians disputing that number. Can you bring us up to date on the number of people taken into custody?

PINKAS: Yes. Best of my knowledge, over 65 armed people have been arrested, from various organizations. Over 25 of them, best of my knowledge at this moment as we speak -- over 25 of them belong to organizations that are directly subordinate to Yasser Arafat.

KAGAN: OK, if nothing else, today is a very disappointing today to people around the world, especially following yesterday when it seemed to be a day of hope. A day when, talk about historic, you heard the Arab world acknowledge Israel's existence. And yet today we are followed by a day of violence. How do we get past this day of violence and get back on the peace track, for your people and the Palestinians?

PINKAS: Look, the saddest day in this process was a year and a half ago at Camp David, when the Palestinians flatly rejected an offer laid forth by then Prime Minister Barak and then-President Bill Clinton, that is not dissimilar to the Saudi plan. Now, I haven't heard the Arabs -- although I'm not dismissing the importance of it. But I've not heard them actually acknowledge and recognize the state of Israel without the conditions that they...

KAGAN: But they addressed your people. And that, if nothing else, was a step forward of the last 50 years.

PINKAS: That is a step forward. A step that Arafat was not a party to. Let me remind you, Daryn, that this Arab League consists of beautiful individuals and smart individuals like Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Moammar Qadhafi of Libya, and what have you. Excuse me for not being profoundly impressed with the statement. Although I have to tell you, it was promising. It still holds a lot of positive elements in it. And hopefully it will be promising and materialize the promise that it contains.

KAGAN: Well, on that note -- I'm going to end on a promising note, this being Passover and Good Friday. I'm going to try to end on a positive time. And our time is short. Alon Pinkas, I thank for your time, sir.

PINKAS: Thank you.

KAGAN: And I wish you a peaceful Passover. Thank you.

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