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CNN Live At Daybreak
Israel Arrests 150 Palestinians in Raids
Aired June 24, 2003 - 06:03 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: Target Hamas. While Palestinian militant groups ponder a cease-fire, Israel is not waiting. The army rounded up dozens of suspected Hamas activists in the West Bank.
Live to Jerusalem now and Jerrold Kessel.
Good morning Jerrold.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Really not waiting, very much in action, the Israeli forces, the Israeli army saying one of its top infantry units was involved in this operation in the town of Hebron. It's from there that Israelis say that suicide bombers and other Palestinian attackers have been sent out over the last several months, killing more than 50 Israelis in various terror attacks. And the target, they say, was the Hamas infrastructure in Hebron, and more than 130 people were taken in for questioning, in one way or another said to be affiliated or knowing something or active Hamas militants.
The Palestinians are calling this an attempt to undercut those efforts to get a cease-fire, but Israel saying it was important operatively in order to undercut the terror. Not only in Hebron, elsewhere around the West Bank Israeli troops arrested more than 30 people suspected of being involved or in planning of terror activities. A major sweep by the Israeli army last night -- Carol.
COSTELLO: OK, Jerrold, it's time to be a little cynical. It's easy to do, you know, when you're on this subject. Is a cease-fire declared by Hamas really a possibility?
KESSEL: Well, the Palestinian side is saying they're on the verge of that, but Hamas is holding back. They've been holding back for several days, and this morning it was interesting to hear some of the Hamas leaders saying in the wake of this, this complicates it. The Israeli action certainly complicates our decision.
A lot of people hanging on the Hamas decision, and it could be that the Israelis by applying this pressure are doing precisely what they say they're doing and putting more pressure on Hamas to go into a cease-fire. There are others in the Palestinian community who say, no, that's the opposite intention. The Israelis don't want this cease-fire really to happen, and for Hamas not to go on board with what the Palestinian Authority has been trying to get them to do to agree to a temporary truce in their activities against Israel.
It will be interesting to see how Hamas plays it over the next 24 hours, whether they come through with that promised truce in talks in Cairo. It's the Egyptians who have been primarily applying the pressure. Does the Israeli pressure help? Does it hinder? Maybe the next 24 hours or 48 hours will tell, and that could be crucial for the efforts to get that peace road going between the Israelis and the Palestinian Authority -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Only one thing for sure, we'll be watching. Jerrold Kessel live from Jerusalem this morning.
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 24, 2003 - 06:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Target Hamas. While Palestinian militant groups ponder a cease-fire, Israel is not waiting. The army rounded up dozens of suspected Hamas activists in the West Bank.
Live to Jerusalem now and Jerrold Kessel.
Good morning Jerrold.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Really not waiting, very much in action, the Israeli forces, the Israeli army saying one of its top infantry units was involved in this operation in the town of Hebron. It's from there that Israelis say that suicide bombers and other Palestinian attackers have been sent out over the last several months, killing more than 50 Israelis in various terror attacks. And the target, they say, was the Hamas infrastructure in Hebron, and more than 130 people were taken in for questioning, in one way or another said to be affiliated or knowing something or active Hamas militants.
The Palestinians are calling this an attempt to undercut those efforts to get a cease-fire, but Israel saying it was important operatively in order to undercut the terror. Not only in Hebron, elsewhere around the West Bank Israeli troops arrested more than 30 people suspected of being involved or in planning of terror activities. A major sweep by the Israeli army last night -- Carol.
COSTELLO: OK, Jerrold, it's time to be a little cynical. It's easy to do, you know, when you're on this subject. Is a cease-fire declared by Hamas really a possibility?
KESSEL: Well, the Palestinian side is saying they're on the verge of that, but Hamas is holding back. They've been holding back for several days, and this morning it was interesting to hear some of the Hamas leaders saying in the wake of this, this complicates it. The Israeli action certainly complicates our decision.
A lot of people hanging on the Hamas decision, and it could be that the Israelis by applying this pressure are doing precisely what they say they're doing and putting more pressure on Hamas to go into a cease-fire. There are others in the Palestinian community who say, no, that's the opposite intention. The Israelis don't want this cease-fire really to happen, and for Hamas not to go on board with what the Palestinian Authority has been trying to get them to do to agree to a temporary truce in their activities against Israel.
It will be interesting to see how Hamas plays it over the next 24 hours, whether they come through with that promised truce in talks in Cairo. It's the Egyptians who have been primarily applying the pressure. Does the Israeli pressure help? Does it hinder? Maybe the next 24 hours or 48 hours will tell, and that could be crucial for the efforts to get that peace road going between the Israelis and the Palestinian Authority -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Only one thing for sure, we'll be watching. Jerrold Kessel live from Jerusalem this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
