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CNN Live At Daybreak
Israeli Troops Enter Gaza
Aired August 08, 2002 - 06:03 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: Israeli troops make another incursion into northern Gaza. It comes on a day when Palestinian officials are in Washington talking peace with top White House officials.
Our Jerrold Kessel is live in Jerusalem. He joins us with the latest.
Good morning -- Jerrold.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And as those talks get under way in Washington, there have also been talks here in the Middle East between Israeli and Palestinian security officials, top security officials meeting again to try to work on a plan. They are calling Gaza first that there will be security cooperation first in Gaza. And as a result of the efforts, if they have materialized, are the two sides working to curb Palestinian militants and suicide bombers, the Israelis will withdraw their forces from certain areas that they have taken up positions in the last several months.
But even as these talks get under way, Israeli forces have been on the offensive again in Gaza, these for the second straight night. Tanks rumbled into the town of Beit Lahiya in the northern part of Gaza for the purpose, the Israelis say, of rounding up terror suspects or people wanted for questioning on supporting terror activities.
The tanks were met with some kind of resistance from young Palestinians, throwing stones at the tanks, and there was one 18-year- old Palestinian shot and killed. It is not clear whether he was taking part in those stone-throwing operations or was hit by a stray bullet. Four other young Palestinians were hurt.
The Israelis saying they arrested nine people in all in Gaza, including a member of the Palestinian legislative council. And also, they arrested people elsewhere in the West Bank, where they also undertook another aspect of their get-tough policy to try to curb the bombers, demolishing four homes, either of suicide bombers or of those who would dispatch them.
This brings the total of 18, the number of houses demolished by Israeli forces in the West Bank in this new policy of trying to curb -- to deter would-be bombers by blowing up homes in and around the towns of the West Bank.
But while those actions, the Israeli offense are taking place, talks to take place for four-and-half hours. They ended fruitlessly, but there is some mudslinging across the sides, and though they have not agreed, they are still keeping on talking.
But here is what we heard from officials on the two sides on the state of those talks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NABIL ABU RUDEINHEH, SENIOR PALESTINIAN ADVISOR: With good intentions, and suddenly the Israelis started setting new conditions. And this is the Israeli message to the world community that they are not willing to proceed on the peace process. They are not willing to take the serious steps which they should take, and even they backed down from what they offered previously.
MARC SOFER, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN: The key to the whole issue is the security aspect of the situation. When the Palestinians are ready to make the decisions that they will take responsibility for the security of Gaza, to start with, and we can therefore ease the restrictions and move back into the status quo ante (ph). Then we can look forward to what will happen next. At this stage, we have to work from square one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KESSEL: So, still talking across purposes, as they were yesterday, assessing across purposes, but at least there is something new, they are talking again, though one has to say that on the ground, it's still the violence that holds sway -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes, all right, Jerrold Kessel reporting live for us from Jerusalem this morning -- thank you.
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