Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Five Suicide Bombings Since Saturday Night
Aired May 20, 2003 - 10:10 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's now go to Jerusalem. Our Jerrold Kessel standing by with more on what it taking place there, from this part of the story..
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, I think you're absolutely right to put your finger on that circle, that logjam, of who goes first? Who should be taking the first steps that will open the logjam and create the possibility of moving down that peace road?
Now, clearly, this bombing campaign that's been conducted by the Palestinian militants make it easier for Ariel Sharon to say, "I'm not going first until the bombers have been contained." And it puts more pressure on Mahmoud Abbas.
But equally clear it was very important and seemed very significant that President Bush saw the need both to speak out very forcefully yesterday and now put through that phone call to the Palestinian leader insisting that he remain at least within the circle and that when the time comes when he's deemed to be seen to be acting forcefully against the Palestinian militants, then the time will come for Israel, for the pressure to be put on Israel to make its stand.
It does seem in the wake of this series of suicide bombings conducted by the Palestinian militants to completely sideline any kind of hope of a peace move, that it is a pivotal moment. Will this long confrontation, 30 months of deadly confrontation, seep into more -- sink into more and more and more deadly bloodshed or is there a way of keeping this nascent, very, very slender baby of a peace process alive. That is the big question of the days ahead. And I guess the pressure is on both prime ministers to do what they need to do, at least to keep the circle intact until one of them has to make his move.
KAGAN: All right, Jerrold Kessel in Jerusalem, thank you so much for that.
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 - 10:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's now go to Jerusalem. Our Jerrold Kessel standing by with more on what it taking place there, from this part of the story..
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, I think you're absolutely right to put your finger on that circle, that logjam, of who goes first? Who should be taking the first steps that will open the logjam and create the possibility of moving down that peace road?
Now, clearly, this bombing campaign that's been conducted by the Palestinian militants make it easier for Ariel Sharon to say, "I'm not going first until the bombers have been contained." And it puts more pressure on Mahmoud Abbas.
But equally clear it was very important and seemed very significant that President Bush saw the need both to speak out very forcefully yesterday and now put through that phone call to the Palestinian leader insisting that he remain at least within the circle and that when the time comes when he's deemed to be seen to be acting forcefully against the Palestinian militants, then the time will come for Israel, for the pressure to be put on Israel to make its stand.
It does seem in the wake of this series of suicide bombings conducted by the Palestinian militants to completely sideline any kind of hope of a peace move, that it is a pivotal moment. Will this long confrontation, 30 months of deadly confrontation, seep into more -- sink into more and more and more deadly bloodshed or is there a way of keeping this nascent, very, very slender baby of a peace process alive. That is the big question of the days ahead. And I guess the pressure is on both prime ministers to do what they need to do, at least to keep the circle intact until one of them has to make his move.
KAGAN: All right, Jerrold Kessel in Jerusalem, thank you so much for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
