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CNN Live At Daybreak
Latest Threat to Mideast Peace Efforts
Aired June 11, 2003 - 05:32 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 Middle East now and the latest threat to peace efforts. President Bush says despite renewed violence in the region, he is determined to see both sides moving forward on the road map to peace.
(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: On Sunday, four Israeli soldiers were killed by Palestinians dressed in Israeli Defense Forces uniforms and yesterday Israel responded with two separate rocket attacks on Palestinian targets.
Live to Jerusalem now and Jerrold Kessel for more on this -- good morning, Jerrold.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And the arguments still go on about that Israeli action in trying to target and assassinate the leading Hamas official, the failed attempt it was. But there's no argument that this Israeli escalation of the battle against the Palestinian militants has destabilized the situation and certainly thrown into jeopardy, as you rightly say, the peace initiative launched just a week ago with such fanfare by President Bush at the Aqaba summit.
And the big question is is that peace initiative still alive?
Perhaps the answer could be said that it's a very bleak situation and yet -- the and yet is President Bush's forceful intervention and stepping up himself and showing that he is engaged and determined to keep the process alive one way or another.
But in the meantime, Israel is still, is, first, bracing for the possibility that Hamas might try to launch, will certainly try and will they be successful in launch revenge actions for that Israeli helicopter attack on one of its top officials, Abdel-Azizi Al-Rantissi yesterday.
And the Israelis are also striking something of a defiant pose against the strictures that President Bush delivered against them. There was certainly stinging criticism of Ariel Sharon's decision to go out and take that action from the president. The Israelis this morning are trying to convince the United States that there was merit in their action, that Mr. Rantissi is, as they call him, an arch terrorist who's been behind so many attacks against the Israelis, and this is part of the global war on terror, going for terror organizations like Hamas and that Mr. Sharon is saying he won't be deterred, if no one else is going to go after Palestinian militants, he will.
But in that forceful message by Mr. Bush, which is the yet of the bleak situation, he made a point, the president, of saying that the risk in the Israeli action was, above all, that it undermined the possibility that the Palestinian Authority and the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, will be able to live up to his commitment and take on the militants. That was the problem, said the president.
And we've got another add to that and yet in the form of other outside interference or inside intervention which may be helpful, and that is from the Egyptians. They have sent their top security man to Ramallah today to talk to the Palestinian leadership, to convince them to go on with their efforts to convince Hamas not to go on with their activities.
So, even though the situation is bleak, the outside intervention is the glimmer of hope that maybe this peace initiative is not yet dead -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Jerrold Kessel live from Jerusalem this morning.
We'll get more on the White House reaction to this latest round of violence when our Senior White House Correspondent John King will join us live from Washington. That will happen in the next hour of DAYBREAK.
Let's talk more about the situation in the Middle East right now.
Our senior international editor David Clinch is here.
So, what is next?
DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Well, Carol, that's a very good question. Jerrold pointing out there that the key role -- and we have talked about this before -- is that of President Bush. He was able to use the influence, the power of his own personality, when he was face to face with these leaders in Aqaba. It remains to be seen how influential he can be from a long distance.
He does have an envoy, a new envoy going to the region soon. He is able to communicate through the statements that he's made, critical of Sharon yesterday, saying that he's undermined the new Palestinian prime minister, Abbas. You see the three of them there together.
He is able to have an influence through those statements. But it's not clear that either side is really in a position or ready to react to criticism, let -- or encouragement in either way. They're so tied, locked into their positions.
So, the question of whether President Bush can have the influence that he wants to have is very much -- and John King from Washington and our Washington reporters are going to be key on this today.
There is, there are signs that the Palestinian prime minister, Abbas, is still prepared to go along with his part and to try to get Hamas and the others to go -- to announce a cease-fire against Israel. But Hamas obviously...
COSTELLO: But the Hamas leader is talking very strong from his hospital bed.
CLINCH: The Hamas leader in -- absolutely, in his hospital saying we will not leave one Jew alive in Palestine. So...
COSTELLO: Yes, and he said he ceased all negotiations with Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, last Friday.
CLINCH: Absolutely, yes. So it's looking bleak, you would have to say, from either side. But, again, President Bush says that he is determined to stay involved. We'll talk a little bit more about that in the 6:00 a.m. hour.
But we're also taking advantage today, we have some great coverage from Africa today and over the last few days, particularly from Liberia. I think we've got a piece coming up here. We've got our reporter in Liberia. I'm not sure there are too many other American networks that are covering this story. We are. We care about this story.
But also, it's got a fascinating American connection. Liberia effectively set up by the United States as a haven for freed slaves and over the years the people of Liberia have always looked to the United States for guidance and help in emergencies and they are doing that right now as the civil war rages.
COSTELLO: Oh, it's terrible there.
CLINCH: It is.
COSTELLO: And as you said, we're going to get more from Liberia in just a bit.
CLINCH: Absolutely.
COSTELLO: David, many thanks.
CLINCH: OK.
COSTELLO: You can get the background and the latest on the crisis in the Middle East, though, in a special report: "The Middle East: Land Of Conflict," on our Web site. 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 - 05:32 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 Middle East now and the latest threat to peace efforts. President Bush says despite renewed violence in the region, he is determined to see both sides moving forward on the road map to peace.
(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: On Sunday, four Israeli soldiers were killed by Palestinians dressed in Israeli Defense Forces uniforms and yesterday Israel responded with two separate rocket attacks on Palestinian targets.
Live to Jerusalem now and Jerrold Kessel for more on this -- good morning, Jerrold.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And the arguments still go on about that Israeli action in trying to target and assassinate the leading Hamas official, the failed attempt it was. But there's no argument that this Israeli escalation of the battle against the Palestinian militants has destabilized the situation and certainly thrown into jeopardy, as you rightly say, the peace initiative launched just a week ago with such fanfare by President Bush at the Aqaba summit.
And the big question is is that peace initiative still alive?
Perhaps the answer could be said that it's a very bleak situation and yet -- the and yet is President Bush's forceful intervention and stepping up himself and showing that he is engaged and determined to keep the process alive one way or another.
But in the meantime, Israel is still, is, first, bracing for the possibility that Hamas might try to launch, will certainly try and will they be successful in launch revenge actions for that Israeli helicopter attack on one of its top officials, Abdel-Azizi Al-Rantissi yesterday.
And the Israelis are also striking something of a defiant pose against the strictures that President Bush delivered against them. There was certainly stinging criticism of Ariel Sharon's decision to go out and take that action from the president. The Israelis this morning are trying to convince the United States that there was merit in their action, that Mr. Rantissi is, as they call him, an arch terrorist who's been behind so many attacks against the Israelis, and this is part of the global war on terror, going for terror organizations like Hamas and that Mr. Sharon is saying he won't be deterred, if no one else is going to go after Palestinian militants, he will.
But in that forceful message by Mr. Bush, which is the yet of the bleak situation, he made a point, the president, of saying that the risk in the Israeli action was, above all, that it undermined the possibility that the Palestinian Authority and the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, will be able to live up to his commitment and take on the militants. That was the problem, said the president.
And we've got another add to that and yet in the form of other outside interference or inside intervention which may be helpful, and that is from the Egyptians. They have sent their top security man to Ramallah today to talk to the Palestinian leadership, to convince them to go on with their efforts to convince Hamas not to go on with their activities.
So, even though the situation is bleak, the outside intervention is the glimmer of hope that maybe this peace initiative is not yet dead -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, Jerrold Kessel live from Jerusalem this morning.
We'll get more on the White House reaction to this latest round of violence when our Senior White House Correspondent John King will join us live from Washington. That will happen in the next hour of DAYBREAK.
Let's talk more about the situation in the Middle East right now.
Our senior international editor David Clinch is here.
So, what is next?
DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Well, Carol, that's a very good question. Jerrold pointing out there that the key role -- and we have talked about this before -- is that of President Bush. He was able to use the influence, the power of his own personality, when he was face to face with these leaders in Aqaba. It remains to be seen how influential he can be from a long distance.
He does have an envoy, a new envoy going to the region soon. He is able to communicate through the statements that he's made, critical of Sharon yesterday, saying that he's undermined the new Palestinian prime minister, Abbas. You see the three of them there together.
He is able to have an influence through those statements. But it's not clear that either side is really in a position or ready to react to criticism, let -- or encouragement in either way. They're so tied, locked into their positions.
So, the question of whether President Bush can have the influence that he wants to have is very much -- and John King from Washington and our Washington reporters are going to be key on this today.
There is, there are signs that the Palestinian prime minister, Abbas, is still prepared to go along with his part and to try to get Hamas and the others to go -- to announce a cease-fire against Israel. But Hamas obviously...
COSTELLO: But the Hamas leader is talking very strong from his hospital bed.
CLINCH: The Hamas leader in -- absolutely, in his hospital saying we will not leave one Jew alive in Palestine. So...
COSTELLO: Yes, and he said he ceased all negotiations with Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, last Friday.
CLINCH: Absolutely, yes. So it's looking bleak, you would have to say, from either side. But, again, President Bush says that he is determined to stay involved. We'll talk a little bit more about that in the 6:00 a.m. hour.
But we're also taking advantage today, we have some great coverage from Africa today and over the last few days, particularly from Liberia. I think we've got a piece coming up here. We've got our reporter in Liberia. I'm not sure there are too many other American networks that are covering this story. We are. We care about this story.
But also, it's got a fascinating American connection. Liberia effectively set up by the United States as a haven for freed slaves and over the years the people of Liberia have always looked to the United States for guidance and help in emergencies and they are doing that right now as the civil war rages.
COSTELLO: Oh, it's terrible there.
CLINCH: It is.
COSTELLO: And as you said, we're going to get more from Liberia in just a bit.
CLINCH: Absolutely.
COSTELLO: David, many thanks.
CLINCH: OK.
COSTELLO: You can get the background and the latest on the crisis in the Middle East, though, in a special report: "The Middle East: Land Of Conflict," on our Web site. 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
