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CNN Live At Daybreak

Israeli Tanks Enters Nablus

Aired August 02, 2002 - 06:34   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: Early this morning in the West Bank, Israeli troops began rolling into the city of Nablus to conduct searches and arrests. This military operation, of course, follows Wednesday's bombing at Hebrew University that killed two Israelis and five Americans.

We are joined live now by CNN Jerusalem bureau chief, Mike Hanna.

Good morning again -- Mike.

MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Hello there, Carol.

Well, a major operation under way in the West Bank city of Nablus, called by the Israeli Defense Force an operation maybe this time is the title of this particular operation.

Now, Israeli forces have been in seven out of eight West Bank cities for a long period of time. However, they hadn't entered the old section of Nablus, the Kaspo (ph), in this time. Well, they are doing that in the course of the morning. Israeli infantry backed by tanks, Apache helicopters have moved into the old city.

The Israeli Defense Force says it has come under fire. The Palestinian Red Crescent says at least four Palestinians have been killed in this Israeli operation.

This operation in the wake of an explosion in Jerusalem Thursday, in which seven people were killed when an explosive device was detonated on the campus of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, seven people killed, among them, five Americans.

Two of the bodies of the Americans were flown home from Tel Aviv Airport late last night. They are on their way back to the U.S. for burial there, due to arrive at John F. Kennedy Airport at around 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time in the course of this day.

Also, further Israeli punitive measures in the wake of this attack. They have demolished a number of homes belonging to relatives of those they believe carried out attacks against Israeli civilians in the past. At least two homes destroyed in the past 24 hours as a punitive measure in the wake of these ongoing attacks against Israeli civilian targets -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So it's pretty much the same strategy. It just seems like it never ends, Mike.

HANNA: Yes, indeed, Carol.

There is one indication of a possible shift in Israeli strategy. The Israeli prime minister has confirmed that he intends meeting two Palestinian leaders in the next week. These are the newly-appointed ministers of finance and of the interior.

Now, Ariel Sharon has not had a meeting of any import with the Palestinian leaders since he was elected to office, so this may be a significant move by Israel, part perhaps of a carrot-and-stick approach. The carrot being contacts between the Israeli prime minister and Palestinian leaders, who he approves of, and the stick, of course, being these ongoing security measures being taken in various West Bank areas, and indeed, in the Gaza Strip where there has been fighting over the past 24 hours.

The latest casualty in that fighting that is reported, an 85- year-old woman killed in gunfire just outside Gaza City.

So the violence ongoing; at the same time, hints that possible contacts, rare contacts between the Israeli prime minister and newly- elected Palestinian leaders -- Carol.

COSTELLO: OK, we'll see what happens. Mike Hanna, thanks.

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