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CNN Live At Daybreak
Explosion Near Jerusalem
Aired May 20, 2003 - 05:33 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: We have news just into CNN from the A.P. Apparently there has been some kind of explosion in Netanya. That's near Jerusalem in Israel.
We want to go live there now to check in with Jerrold Kessel -- Jerrold, I don't know if you've heard about this explosion yet, but what can you tell us now?
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We heard reports of it, Carol, but as of yet we have not been able to confirm that there has been either an explosion or that it is an explosion, if there is an explosion that it has anything to do with a bomb or any terror activity. No confirmation of that whatsoever at this stage. We shall try to update you, but our preliminary inquiries indicate not. But, as I say, very, very early. This report was just coming in a few minutes ago.
But we are facing what could be a pivotal moment here in this Israeli-Palestinian confrontation as it continues after that wave of suicide bombings in the West Bank and Gaza and Jerusalem, and here yesterday in the northern Israeli town of Afulah, where three people were killed by a woman suicide bomber. Thirteen of the people are still in hospital and several are reported still to be fighting for their lives from that incident yesterday.
But it really leaves the situation poised of whether it's going to be engulfed in a new wave of bloodletting or can this fledgling new peace initiative be kept alive in the face of what it clearly a concerted campaign by Palestinian militants to derail any efforts to get some kind of political process going again.
The Palestinian leadership has condemned roundly, the new leadership of Mahmoud Abbas, Abu Mazen has condemned roundly the latest attack yesterday, but it remains to be seen how Israel will react.
But just to go back to that earlier report, we are getting confirmation there was no explosion that we can ascertain at this stage in the, of that, and that report is erroneous. But we'll keep checking on it for the moment -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes, Jerrold, I was just checking the A.P. A.P. is also reporting that report erroneous and, as you might imagine, Israelis are pretty jumpy. Netanya is a coastal town, by the way.
Jerrold Kessel reporting live from Jerusalem this morning. Get the latest on the current crisis in the Middle East and the background on key figures by going to our Web site. Just click onto cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.
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 May 20, 2003 - 05:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We have news just into CNN from the A.P. Apparently there has been some kind of explosion in Netanya. That's near Jerusalem in Israel.
We want to go live there now to check in with Jerrold Kessel -- Jerrold, I don't know if you've heard about this explosion yet, but what can you tell us now?
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We heard reports of it, Carol, but as of yet we have not been able to confirm that there has been either an explosion or that it is an explosion, if there is an explosion that it has anything to do with a bomb or any terror activity. No confirmation of that whatsoever at this stage. We shall try to update you, but our preliminary inquiries indicate not. But, as I say, very, very early. This report was just coming in a few minutes ago.
But we are facing what could be a pivotal moment here in this Israeli-Palestinian confrontation as it continues after that wave of suicide bombings in the West Bank and Gaza and Jerusalem, and here yesterday in the northern Israeli town of Afulah, where three people were killed by a woman suicide bomber. Thirteen of the people are still in hospital and several are reported still to be fighting for their lives from that incident yesterday.
But it really leaves the situation poised of whether it's going to be engulfed in a new wave of bloodletting or can this fledgling new peace initiative be kept alive in the face of what it clearly a concerted campaign by Palestinian militants to derail any efforts to get some kind of political process going again.
The Palestinian leadership has condemned roundly, the new leadership of Mahmoud Abbas, Abu Mazen has condemned roundly the latest attack yesterday, but it remains to be seen how Israel will react.
But just to go back to that earlier report, we are getting confirmation there was no explosion that we can ascertain at this stage in the, of that, and that report is erroneous. But we'll keep checking on it for the moment -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes, Jerrold, I was just checking the A.P. A.P. is also reporting that report erroneous and, as you might imagine, Israelis are pretty jumpy. Netanya is a coastal town, by the way.
Jerrold Kessel reporting live from Jerusalem this morning. Get the latest on the current crisis in the Middle East and the background on key figures by going to our Web site. Just click onto cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
