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CNN Live At Daybreak
Israel Says It Will Defend Itself if Attacked by Iraq
Aired March 17, 2003 - 05:26 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: Unlike the 1991 Gulf War, Israel says it will defend itself if attacked by Iraq.
With more on war preparations there, we take you to CNN's Jerrold Kessel, live in Jerusalem -- good morning, Jerrold.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And this is a day when the U.S. State Department issuing its latest travel warning and citing the deteriorating security situation in the region, saying that all non-essential personnel and all family members of the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. consulates general, both in Jerusalem, have left the country and advising U.S. citizens not to travel to Israel or the Palestinian Territories, Gaza and the West Bank, and U.S. citizens in the country to leave forthwith.
That the U.S. position in Israel has been saying all along, while it is not part, does not want to be part and hopes it will not be made to be part of this war with an Iraqi attack on Israel, should it come under attack, Israel saying that it has, nonetheless, taken all necessary precautions.
But Israeli officials looking to what President Bush called the day of truth and seeing at the end of the day of truth whether they need to advise their citizens to take the final precautions like arranging a sealed room for in the event of the chemical attack and to take that action soon.
That decision will be taken late in the day or overnight in light of what happens today on the day of truth -- Carol.
COSTELLO: On a slightly different topic, Jerrold, Yasser Arafat was to appoint a new prime minister. Has that happened yet?
KESSEL: It's almost not such a different topic. It's also happening in advance of the potential military action in Iraq. The Palestinians having been given primarily by Tony Blair, the British prime minister, after what President Bush said on Friday, the linkage between the resolve to try to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the situation in Iraq, are now about to move acceleratedly in that direction to approve the appointment of the post of prime minister. And that's what's happening today in Ramallah on the West Bank, where the Palestinian parliament set to approve the division of powers between Yasser Arafat and his appointed prime minister.
They want that -- the post is likely to be approved. Mr. Arafat's nominee, Abu Mazen, will not be approved by name and he will have several weeks in which to appoint a cabinet. But the post of prime minister is being approved and it's likely that Abu Mazen will be in place should and when the United States want to move to try to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as well -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Jerrold Kessel reporting live from Jerusalem.
Thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired March 17, 2003 - 05:26 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Unlike the 1991 Gulf War, Israel says it will defend itself if attacked by Iraq.
With more on war preparations there, we take you to CNN's Jerrold Kessel, live in Jerusalem -- good morning, Jerrold.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And this is a day when the U.S. State Department issuing its latest travel warning and citing the deteriorating security situation in the region, saying that all non-essential personnel and all family members of the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. consulates general, both in Jerusalem, have left the country and advising U.S. citizens not to travel to Israel or the Palestinian Territories, Gaza and the West Bank, and U.S. citizens in the country to leave forthwith.
That the U.S. position in Israel has been saying all along, while it is not part, does not want to be part and hopes it will not be made to be part of this war with an Iraqi attack on Israel, should it come under attack, Israel saying that it has, nonetheless, taken all necessary precautions.
But Israeli officials looking to what President Bush called the day of truth and seeing at the end of the day of truth whether they need to advise their citizens to take the final precautions like arranging a sealed room for in the event of the chemical attack and to take that action soon.
That decision will be taken late in the day or overnight in light of what happens today on the day of truth -- Carol.
COSTELLO: On a slightly different topic, Jerrold, Yasser Arafat was to appoint a new prime minister. Has that happened yet?
KESSEL: It's almost not such a different topic. It's also happening in advance of the potential military action in Iraq. The Palestinians having been given primarily by Tony Blair, the British prime minister, after what President Bush said on Friday, the linkage between the resolve to try to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the situation in Iraq, are now about to move acceleratedly in that direction to approve the appointment of the post of prime minister. And that's what's happening today in Ramallah on the West Bank, where the Palestinian parliament set to approve the division of powers between Yasser Arafat and his appointed prime minister.
They want that -- the post is likely to be approved. Mr. Arafat's nominee, Abu Mazen, will not be approved by name and he will have several weeks in which to appoint a cabinet. But the post of prime minister is being approved and it's likely that Abu Mazen will be in place should and when the United States want to move to try to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as well -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Jerrold Kessel reporting live from Jerusalem.
Thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
