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CNN Live At Daybreak
Israeli Rocket Attacks Damage Latest Efforts at Peace
Aired June 11, 2003 - 05:02 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: To the crisis in the Middle East now, two Israeli rocket attacks have damaged the latest efforts at peace in the region. President Bush says he's troubled by the attacks, but still believes progress can be made.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am determined to keep the process on the road to peace and I believe with responsible leadership by all parties we can bring peace to the region. And I emphasize all parties must behave responsibly to achieve that objective.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And one of those rocket attacks targeted the spokesman for the militant Palestinian group Hamas.
Kelly Wallace has details on the attacks and the Hamas response.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a failed attempt by Israel to get rid of one of the most visible leaders of Hamas here in the Gaza Strip and many fear it could lead to a cycle of attack and counterattack and severely threaten the U.S.-backed Mideast road map.
(voice-over): Thousands of members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas were out on the streets of Gaza City attending a funeral for a Hamas bodyguard who was killed and calling for revenge. The group has been responsible for many suicide bombings against Israelis and now Hamas leaders are saying there will be more attacks against Israelis, saying all Israelis, civilians and political leaders, are now legitimate targets.
There were two Israeli air strikes in about an eight hour period that left five people dead, including two bystanders, a 50-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl, according to Palestinian sources. The main target, though, of one of the operations, according to Israeli sources, Abdel-Azizi Rantissi. He is the public face of Hamas here in the Gaza Strip and he managed to escape with moderate injuries.
The big question is why did the Israeli military decide to target Rantissi and why now? A senior Israeli military source saying the government acted because it believes Rantissi has been stepping up his involvement in the planning and coordination of terror attacks against Israel. Sources are saying he was the main organizer behind an unprecedented attack on Sunday, when three major Palestinian militant groups claimed responsibility for the killing of four Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip.
(on camera): The Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, for his part he has been trying to negotiate with Hamas to engage in a cease-fire. He came out and condemned Israel's actions, saying they can "sabotage the peace process." Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, though, is remaining defiant, even in the face of some rare White House criticism, saying that Israel will continue to fight terror as long as there is not anyone on the other side who will do so.
I'm Kelly Wallace, CNN, reporting from Gaza City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And coming up at the half hour, we'll get more on this volatile situation from our Jerrold Kessel. We'll go to him live in Jerusalem.
And you can get the background and the latest on this crisis in the Middle East in a special report: The Middle East: Land of Conflict. That's on our Web site. It's easy. 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 June 11, 2003 - 05:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: To the crisis in the Middle East now, two Israeli rocket attacks have damaged the latest efforts at peace in the region. President Bush says he's troubled by the attacks, but still believes progress can be made.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am determined to keep the process on the road to peace and I believe with responsible leadership by all parties we can bring peace to the region. And I emphasize all parties must behave responsibly to achieve that objective.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And one of those rocket attacks targeted the spokesman for the militant Palestinian group Hamas.
Kelly Wallace has details on the attacks and the Hamas response.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a failed attempt by Israel to get rid of one of the most visible leaders of Hamas here in the Gaza Strip and many fear it could lead to a cycle of attack and counterattack and severely threaten the U.S.-backed Mideast road map.
(voice-over): Thousands of members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas were out on the streets of Gaza City attending a funeral for a Hamas bodyguard who was killed and calling for revenge. The group has been responsible for many suicide bombings against Israelis and now Hamas leaders are saying there will be more attacks against Israelis, saying all Israelis, civilians and political leaders, are now legitimate targets.
There were two Israeli air strikes in about an eight hour period that left five people dead, including two bystanders, a 50-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl, according to Palestinian sources. The main target, though, of one of the operations, according to Israeli sources, Abdel-Azizi Rantissi. He is the public face of Hamas here in the Gaza Strip and he managed to escape with moderate injuries.
The big question is why did the Israeli military decide to target Rantissi and why now? A senior Israeli military source saying the government acted because it believes Rantissi has been stepping up his involvement in the planning and coordination of terror attacks against Israel. Sources are saying he was the main organizer behind an unprecedented attack on Sunday, when three major Palestinian militant groups claimed responsibility for the killing of four Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip.
(on camera): The Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, for his part he has been trying to negotiate with Hamas to engage in a cease-fire. He came out and condemned Israel's actions, saying they can "sabotage the peace process." Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, though, is remaining defiant, even in the face of some rare White House criticism, saying that Israel will continue to fight terror as long as there is not anyone on the other side who will do so.
I'm Kelly Wallace, CNN, reporting from Gaza City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And coming up at the half hour, we'll get more on this volatile situation from our Jerrold Kessel. We'll go to him live in Jerusalem.
And you can get the background and the latest on this crisis in the Middle East in a special report: The Middle East: Land of Conflict. That's on our Web site. It's easy. 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
