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CNN Live Today
Hamas Halts Talks on Truce
Aired June 06, 2003 - 10:06 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Elsewhere now in the news, in the Middle East, a development that threatens the hope of progress toward Middle East peace. Early this morning, the Islamic militant group, Hamas, announced that it will not hold any more talks with the Palestinian prime minister on halting attacks on Israelis.
Now, let's spin the globe and begin our coverage in Jerusalem and our bureau chief there, Mike Hanna.
Good morning -- Mike.
MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Leon, one of the predicted stumbling blocks in the attempts to implement the peace process here in the region, the militant group, Hamas, saying that it's cutting off all ties, all negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. There were mass rallies held in Gaza in the course of the day, as militant supporters gathered to express their opposition to the road map, and also to statements made by Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas at a summit meeting with President George W. Bush earlier in this week.
The Hamas has released a statement saying that it rejects the road map. It also opposes what Mahmoud Abbas said in that speech at the summit in which he renounced violence and said that the armed intifada must stop.
This is what Hamas' spiritual leader, Sheikh Yassin, had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We have stopped the dialogue with the authority, because of this bad position which ignored the right of refugees to return, forgot the prisoners, ignored Jerusalem and ignored the rest of our faithful causes. He, Abu Mazen, gave the Jews what they did not deserve.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNA: The Palestinian Authority says it will continue in its attempts to implement that road map. It says that Hamas does not have the right to unilaterally stop such negotiations, and it says will continue in its effort to establish a truce in the region.
This opposition from Hamas is not unexpected. Minutes after the leaders shook hands on Wednesday at that summit meeting, there was already a Hamas statement rejecting the whole road map process. Also remembering there has been intense opposition among right-wing Israelis, particularly settler groups to the peace plan. So once again, we are seeing something that was expected, resistance from elements both within Israeli as well as Palestinian society -- Leon.
HARRIS: Well, Mike, this dissent may have been expected, but it is still very serious, is it not? Is it not likely that the Palestinian Authority may, therefore, have to resort to some sort of force to get Hamas, at least the militant wing of Hamas, on board here? And could this possibly lead to something of a Palestinian civil war?
HANNA: Well, certainly, this is something that the Palestinian Authority has publicly expressed fear about. Israel has demanded that the Palestinian Authority clamp down with force on the militant groups. The Palestinian Authority says, no, it doesn't want to do so. It would rather do so through negotiation, because it does want to avoid any form of civil war from erupting.
So, obviously, this is a major issue. It's got to get the militant groups to stop their activities, planning attacks against Israelis in terms of its commitment in the peace plan.
All of this being said, though, Hamas and other militant groups have, on several occasions in recent months, suspended all ties to the Palestinian Authority. Whether this is a case where it's doing it temporally, we do not know at this stage. Or whether it's a final decision, once again, the days ahead will show -- Leon.
HARRIS: Very interesting. At some point, the Palestinian people themselves are going to have to make a choice here. We'll have to watch and see how that all plays out. Thanks, Mike -- Mike Hanna, our Jerusalem bureau chief.
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 June 6, 2003 - 10:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Elsewhere now in the news, in the Middle East, a development that threatens the hope of progress toward Middle East peace. Early this morning, the Islamic militant group, Hamas, announced that it will not hold any more talks with the Palestinian prime minister on halting attacks on Israelis.
Now, let's spin the globe and begin our coverage in Jerusalem and our bureau chief there, Mike Hanna.
Good morning -- Mike.
MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Leon, one of the predicted stumbling blocks in the attempts to implement the peace process here in the region, the militant group, Hamas, saying that it's cutting off all ties, all negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. There were mass rallies held in Gaza in the course of the day, as militant supporters gathered to express their opposition to the road map, and also to statements made by Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas at a summit meeting with President George W. Bush earlier in this week.
The Hamas has released a statement saying that it rejects the road map. It also opposes what Mahmoud Abbas said in that speech at the summit in which he renounced violence and said that the armed intifada must stop.
This is what Hamas' spiritual leader, Sheikh Yassin, had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We have stopped the dialogue with the authority, because of this bad position which ignored the right of refugees to return, forgot the prisoners, ignored Jerusalem and ignored the rest of our faithful causes. He, Abu Mazen, gave the Jews what they did not deserve.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNA: The Palestinian Authority says it will continue in its attempts to implement that road map. It says that Hamas does not have the right to unilaterally stop such negotiations, and it says will continue in its effort to establish a truce in the region.
This opposition from Hamas is not unexpected. Minutes after the leaders shook hands on Wednesday at that summit meeting, there was already a Hamas statement rejecting the whole road map process. Also remembering there has been intense opposition among right-wing Israelis, particularly settler groups to the peace plan. So once again, we are seeing something that was expected, resistance from elements both within Israeli as well as Palestinian society -- Leon.
HARRIS: Well, Mike, this dissent may have been expected, but it is still very serious, is it not? Is it not likely that the Palestinian Authority may, therefore, have to resort to some sort of force to get Hamas, at least the militant wing of Hamas, on board here? And could this possibly lead to something of a Palestinian civil war?
HANNA: Well, certainly, this is something that the Palestinian Authority has publicly expressed fear about. Israel has demanded that the Palestinian Authority clamp down with force on the militant groups. The Palestinian Authority says, no, it doesn't want to do so. It would rather do so through negotiation, because it does want to avoid any form of civil war from erupting.
So, obviously, this is a major issue. It's got to get the militant groups to stop their activities, planning attacks against Israelis in terms of its commitment in the peace plan.
All of this being said, though, Hamas and other militant groups have, on several occasions in recent months, suspended all ties to the Palestinian Authority. Whether this is a case where it's doing it temporally, we do not know at this stage. Or whether it's a final decision, once again, the days ahead will show -- Leon.
HARRIS: Very interesting. At some point, the Palestinian people themselves are going to have to make a choice here. We'll have to watch and see how that all plays out. Thanks, Mike -- Mike Hanna, our Jerusalem bureau chief.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
