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CNN Live Today

Bush to Meet Arab Ministers in Wake of Palestinian Attacks

Aired July 18, 2002 - 10:12   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: Turning to the Middle East, the intense security that has enveloped Israel in the wake of two days of deadly suicide bombings in that country, a high security alert is now on, and high level talks with Palestinians are now off, at least for now.

CNN's Jerusalem bureau chief, Mike Hanna, joins us now. He has got the very latest -- good morning -- good afternoon to you, Mike.

MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, good afternoon, Leon. The funerals of the three who were killed in the suicide bombing, a twin suicide bombing in Tel Aviv late last night, taking place in the course of the day. Some 40 people were injured in the attack, many of them are still in a serious condition.

An immediate Israeli reaction to this latest attack against Israeli civilians, Israel's defense minister saying that moves to ease the situation of Palestinians will be frozen, that the planned moves to ease these living conditions will not go ahead as previously planned.

Another consequence is that there had been a meeting due to take place between Israel's foreign minister, Shimon Peres, and newly appointed Palestinian ministers. These meetings have now been put on hold. They have been postponed, and no date has been set for these meetings to take place.

So, certainly, consequences of this attack in Tel Aviv. The second attack on Israeli civilians within some 48 hours. In all, 11 Israelis killed during this period. As to security, well, there has been intense security in place in Israel throughout the past month in the wake of another rash of suicide bombings that occurred about a month ago.

After that, Israel had occupied seven out of eight Palestinian cities, imposing stringent control on the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank, imposing curfews on all Palestinian towns and cities. Yet despite the security arrangements, the attacks against the Israeli civilians continued.

Obviously, there is intensification of security in the wake of the latest round of attacks, but the fact that despite what had happened in the past month, those massive Israeli military deployments, there were still these attacks, is something that Israel security officials looking at very closely, a deep concern to them that they are unable to present the -- prevent these isolated attacks taking place against Israeli civilians.

A reminder, too, that a period of comparative calm, within Israel, that is, not within the Palestinian territories, was rather deceptive.

Once again, more than 10 Israelis killed over a 48-hour period in Palestinian attacks on civilians -- Leon.

HARRIS: Mike Hanna, in Jerusalem. Thank you very much, Mike.

Let's go to the White House now to get reaction from there. President Bush, in fact, is going to be meeting with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia there, later on today.

Our senior White House correspondent, John King, joins us now with a look at that -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, obviously, the violence in Israel yet again complicating the efforts by the Bush administration to move the diplomatic track forward. The White House condemning the latest attacks as despicable, and the White House also saying it is yet another reminder, in the view of this president, that there needs to be immediate security reforms within the Palestinian Authority, and in Mr. Bush's view, a new Palestinian government that pushes Yasser Arafat to the side lines.

That will be one of the key items of discussion and debate, perhaps some differences when Mr. Bush sits down this afternoon with the foreign ministers of the three most critical U.S. allies in the Arab world, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The administration stressing areas of agreement. They say that these key Arab governments have promised to press the Palestinians to adopt a new constitution, to adopt new positions within that constitution so that power is spread out, if you will, in a number of positions, not left solely in the hands of the Palestinian president, now, of course, Mr. Arafat.

Yet there is still a difference, a debate over the Bush administration's adamant position that Mr. Arafat must go, that President Bush says he sees no way to make progress or peace with Mr. Arafat in charge. One possible compromise would be to have Arafat be a symbolic president, and put the actual day-to-day decision making, budgetary power of the Palestinian Authority in the hands of others. Secretary Powell has discussed that as a possible compromise. The president refused to answer directly yesterday, when asked if that was acceptable to him, but you can be certain, not only will the latest violence, but the plans for reforming the Palestinian Authority, and the fate of Mr. Arafat will be the hot topics of discussion later today here at the White House.

HARRIS: John -- John, let me ask you something about the fact that the president is actually meeting with foreign ministers in this case. It hasn't really happened very often, why, in this particular case, is President Bush doing it?

KING: Well, this is obviously an urgent matter diplomatically for the administration, and there is some sensitivity in the Arab world that these key officials come and meet with the United States government, whether it be the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak or King Abdullah of Jordan, who has been here, Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, have all had meetings with President Bush. They leave those meetings saying they are quite satisfied with the discussions, only within 24 to 48, maybe 72 hours to say that they are hearing different things, or different nuances, anyway, from the administration, that lead it to believe Mr. Bush has gone back to a more pro-Israeli position.

So this administration's credibility as an honest broker, if you will, taking no sides but trying to broker the disagreements between the Israelis and the Palestinians sometimes called into question by these key Arab allies. Mr. Bush, by meeting with the foreign minister today, trying to once again reassure them that he wants to work with them in a fair way, but also wanting to make it quite clear to them that he needs and wants their help when it comes to the issue of Palestinian reforms.

HARRIS: John King, senior White House correspondent at the White House this morning. Thank you very much, John. We will see you soon.

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