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CNN Live Today

Israel's Prime Minister Huddling With Bush Later This Afternoon

Aired May 07, 2002 - 10:37   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is huddling with President Bush later this afternoon here, and at the same time, efforts continue to resolve that standoff in Bethlehem.

For some expert analysis, let's get it straight from our own senior political analyst Bill Schneider.

Good morning, Bill. Good to see you this morning.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.

HARRIS: Let's talk, first of all, about this on again off again deal perhaps to get this standoff in Bethlehem resolved. Where do you think things stand right now as far as this deal, getting something worked out with the Italian officials. They may not necessarily want these men in Italy.

SCHNEIDER: I can't imagine why they don't want to have 13 accused Palestinian terrorists welcome on their soil. But the fact is, they have to end the standoff, they have to go somewhere. They were supposed to go to Italy. The Italians claim they weren't notified and consulted about this. An agreement may be imminent. Italy looks like the only country that may be willing to take them. So as soon as that deal is made, through the proper diplomatic channels, that standoff might end. It Could happen at anytime now.

HARRIS: Real quickly here, what do you make of what's happened to get that deal made? Many said the Palestinian negotiator capitulated and gave in. What do you make of the way that plays out?

SCHNEIDER: Look, it's impossible to tell. These people are sitting there in captivity. A lot of people, the Hamas, a lot of terrorist organizations claim they won't make concessions, but have to end this somehow, and it looks like the third party involvement is the only way to do it.

HARRIS: How about the party Ariel Sharon, who is here now in the states. He's been already involved in meetings, and he's bringing with him what some are saying may not necessarily be the most helpful of documents. He's got documents that he says prove that Yasser Arafat is directly linked to terrorism in Israel. He also has some documents that prove that Saudi Arabia has been supporting that terrorism. What do you make of that? And how helpful for him to have that information and pretty much to be publicly waving it about?

SCHNEIDER: His cause is not to have any beginning of political negotiations with the Palestinians in the direction of a Palestinian state. He wants to slowdown the timetable, and the documents that he's bringing with him do exactly that. The United States wants to speed up the timetable. President Bush believes that the only way to stop Palestinian terrorism is to give the Palestinians some hope that down the line, they will see a Palestinian state. The Israelis are not willing to go there, and they believe that starting negotiations now is making concessions to terrorists. So they serve Ariel Sharon's purpose.

HARRIS: We've got to leave it there, Bill. We've got to move on.

Bill Schneider in Washington, thank you very much, as always.

SCHNEIDER: OK.

HARRIS: Have a good one.

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