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CNN Live At Daybreak

Israeli Cabinet Meeting on Latest Bombing

Aired August 20, 2003 - 06:36   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: Let's talk now about that suicide bombing in Jerusalem. Israelis begin burying their dead today. Twenty killed in that blast on a bus in Jerusalem, more than 50 in the hospital this morning. Among the dead, at least four children.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has been meeting today with his cabinet and top security officials, and they are deciding what action they will take.

In the meantime, the pressure is on Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. One Israeli minister says it's the last chance for Abbas to rein in Palestinian militants. Abbas has strongly condemned the bombing, and he's meeting with his cabinet as well today.

As I said, the Israeli cabinet is meeting, too, to discuss what Israel will do. Will it retaliate, will it close the West Bank, or will it do nothing?

Live to Jerusalem and Jerrold Kessel.

Good morning -- Jerrold.

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

You know, there have been so many of these suicide bombings in Israeli towns over the last several years, and particularly during the last three years of conflict. But this one seemed to be different, and so many of the doctors and other medical staff who treated the people coming out of the terror attack felt that way. Perhaps it was the people who were coming straight from prayers at the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall, or perhaps it was the fact that there were so many children involved. And there are a number of dead -- a number of children among the dead and many children among the wounded.

But perhaps it's also different because this could be a real milestone on that peace road, on that attempted peace road, either because it will be the last milestone or because it could start something new. And that could depend on the action taken by the two sides in the wake of this devastating terror attack. And the attention is focusing now as much on the Palestinian Authority as on what Israel will do.

And we heard in the last few minutes, speaking to a spokesman for Muhammad Dahlan, the security minister -- the Palestinian security minister, who said Hamas -- the militant Islamic group which claimed responsibility, one of the two groups claiming responsibility -- "Hamas," he said, "broke the rules." And the top Palestinian security officials are meeting down in Gaza now to decide what action they will take. Their decisions may affect what Israel will decide to take.

The Israeli security cabinet is due to meet again this evening, after top security officials briefed Prime Minister Sharon this morning and laid out the possible options for Israeli action or Israeli inaction and Israeli pressure, rather, on the Palestinian Authority.

Those are some of the options that might evolve. We shall see as these meetings evolve during the day to see which direction both sides will go down in the wake of this devastating attack last night here in Jerusalem -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, and you will bring us up-to-date, I am sure. 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 August 20, 2003 - 06:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk now about that suicide bombing in Jerusalem. Israelis begin burying their dead today. Twenty killed in that blast on a bus in Jerusalem, more than 50 in the hospital this morning. Among the dead, at least four children.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has been meeting today with his cabinet and top security officials, and they are deciding what action they will take.

In the meantime, the pressure is on Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. One Israeli minister says it's the last chance for Abbas to rein in Palestinian militants. Abbas has strongly condemned the bombing, and he's meeting with his cabinet as well today.

As I said, the Israeli cabinet is meeting, too, to discuss what Israel will do. Will it retaliate, will it close the West Bank, or will it do nothing?

Live to Jerusalem and Jerrold Kessel.

Good morning -- Jerrold.

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

You know, there have been so many of these suicide bombings in Israeli towns over the last several years, and particularly during the last three years of conflict. But this one seemed to be different, and so many of the doctors and other medical staff who treated the people coming out of the terror attack felt that way. Perhaps it was the people who were coming straight from prayers at the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall, or perhaps it was the fact that there were so many children involved. And there are a number of dead -- a number of children among the dead and many children among the wounded.

But perhaps it's also different because this could be a real milestone on that peace road, on that attempted peace road, either because it will be the last milestone or because it could start something new. And that could depend on the action taken by the two sides in the wake of this devastating terror attack. And the attention is focusing now as much on the Palestinian Authority as on what Israel will do.

And we heard in the last few minutes, speaking to a spokesman for Muhammad Dahlan, the security minister -- the Palestinian security minister, who said Hamas -- the militant Islamic group which claimed responsibility, one of the two groups claiming responsibility -- "Hamas," he said, "broke the rules." And the top Palestinian security officials are meeting down in Gaza now to decide what action they will take. Their decisions may affect what Israel will decide to take.

The Israeli security cabinet is due to meet again this evening, after top security officials briefed Prime Minister Sharon this morning and laid out the possible options for Israeli action or Israeli inaction and Israeli pressure, rather, on the Palestinian Authority.

Those are some of the options that might evolve. We shall see as these meetings evolve during the day to see which direction both sides will go down in the wake of this devastating attack last night here in Jerusalem -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, and you will bring us up-to-date, I am sure. 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.