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CNN Live Today

Bush Calls Powell Mission a Success

Aired April 18, 2002 - 12:02   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Israel said today it is wrapping up its military offensive, but Israeli officials say the clamp on Yasser Arafat will not be lifted, nor will the siege of that hallowed church in Bethlehem be lifted as well. Also today, a grim situation at the refugee camp in Jenin, which the Israelis say was riven with terrorists. CNN's Bill Hemmer is in Jerusalem, and joins us live with the latest there -- hi there, Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Fredricka. Good evening. A few moments ago, Israel has announced that it has picked up what it considers a key find within the Hamas group. Says a leader was picked up east of Nablus. The man's name: Hassam Atef Ali Badran (ph), 35 years old. Israel says he is responsible for the Netanya explosion on Passover evening. They also say responsible for the Haifa bus bombing of last week and the Haifa restaurant bombing of two weeks ago.

Again, Hassam Atef Ali Badran (ph) picked up east of Nablus. The Israel Defense Force indicating there was an air and ground chase, and in that chase, apparently two were killed, two others were wounded. Not clear if this Hamas member was one of the wounded. That is the latest word from the IDF.

We are going to get to the White House in a moment here. Critical words from the president and Secretary Powell moments ago, but before we go there to John King, want to get you to Jenin today.

Earlier today, Terje Larsen, the U.N. envoy to the Middle East, visited that refugee camp and the words he came away were quite revealing about the damage. He said it looked like an earthquake in there. At one time, he said it was "shocking" and "horrifying." He says no military operation could justify what we are seeing here. He says the camp is still lacking food, and water, and milk, and he is now asking for greater camp access to aid agencies. Here is Terje Larsen now from the U.N.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERJE ROED-LARSEN, U.N. MIDDLE EAST ENVOY: I think I can speak for all in the U.N. delegation here that we are shocked. This is horrifying beyond belief. Just seeing this area, looks like as if there had been a earthquake here, and the stench of death -- over many places here, we are standing (ph) -- I just saw an about 12-year-old kid been killed and burned, and evidently lots of other corpses and the stench is telling its own story there. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: We do know the Israeli military is in and around that Jenin area still today. Various reports today indicating the possibility of a pull back, but nothing confirmed there on the ground in Jenin. Next hour, Terje Larsen is going to be our guest here live on CNN. We will talk a lot more about what is happening and what he saw on the ground there in the refugee in Jenin.

Meanwhile, to Bethlehem quickly, there was talk today that the Israelis and the Palestinians would get together, in fact with the mayor of Bethlehem and talk about this ongoing standoff. However, for some reason that meeting was canceled. We got various reports indicating that the Israelis did not want to sit down and mediate with any other outside group other than the Palestinians, indicating there might have been a European presence there, and that was simply unacceptable to the Israelis.

Bottom line in Bethlehem, that standoff continues again today. 200 gunmen inside. Of the 200 number, about 30 that Israel says is suspected terrorists, and they are not willing to give up just yet and end that standoff until they say they get their hands on those 30 men that they want to arrest, again, inside the Church of the Nativity.

Now to the White House and President Bush again with Secretary Powell. For the first time, they have sat down together. They briefed reporters just about an hour and 15 minutes ago. For the words from the White House now, to our senior White House correspondent, here is John King now on the front lawn with us -- good afternoon, John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Bill.

That destruction and devastation you just showed in Jenin one of the reasons both President Bush and Secretary Powell at their Oval Office meeting here today at the White House, said one of the most urgent tasks, looking forward, is to get humanitarian aid and reconstruction aid into the Palestinian territories.

That one priority, but both leaders, the president and the secretary of state also making clear that the security cooperation and the security situation on the ground needs to improve in their view before you can get the necessary assistance in, and on that front, significantly, even as President Bush said he wanted the Israelis to accelerate their military pull back from the Palestinian territories, the president in very blunt words said he understood Prime Minister Sharon's reasons for keeping an Israeli military presence around Yasser Arafat's Palestinian compound in Ramallah.

President Bush saying that the Israelis believe, and the Palestinians have acknowledged, in fact, that inside are five men suspected of killing an Israeli cabinet minister some months back. President Bush saying until that can be resolved, and until those five suspects turned over, he essentially endorsed the U.S. military -- the Israeli military presence -- excuse me -- around the Palestinian compound in Ramallah.

Now, at the Oval Office meeting, President Bush and Secretary Powell both claiming Powell's mission was a success. Many in the region question that. Secretary Powell went over to seek a cease- fire, he did not get one. He went over to get the Israelis to completely pull out of the Palestinian territories. That has not happened. Still, President Bush says everyone has to step back here, and take a look at the broader goals of the Powell mission.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The situation prior to the secretary's arrival was at a boiling point, and thanks to his hard work, he has laid out not only a vision of hope, which is important, but has convinced others that these terrorist acts will forever and constantly undermine the capacity for peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The Israelis likely to like what the president had to say a lot more than the Palestinians. Mr. Bush said that he considered Prime Minister Sharon to be a man of peace, and believed he was keeping his commitment to pull out of most of the Palestinian territories. He did say that Mr. Arafat, the Palestinian leader, had made a denunciation of terror, but Mr. Bush said he now wanted to see actions to put that denunciation to the test. In the words of the president, -- quote -- "now we will hold him to account."

Bill, back to you in Jerusalem.

HEMMER: John, thank you very much.

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