Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Israeli Cabinet Has Been Meeting at Sharon's Office
Aired August 20, 2003 - 05:35 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 a different part of the Middle East right now, to Israel, a region reeling this morning from that suicide bombing of a crowded bus in Jerusalem. The Israeli cabinet has been meeting at Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office.
Jerrold Kessel is there outside the building there -- good morning, Jerrold.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And a lot of pain, of course, in Jerusalem and elsewhere in Israel, as the Israelis begin to bury the dead from last night's devastating terror attack aboard bus Number Two. There were 20 people killed and the funerals for many of them will be held later today as the identification process continues. A number of children among the dead and also among the many wounded. Over 100 people treated in hospital and this morning 51 remain in hospital, 12 of whom are reported to be in serious condition.
And as the Israelis deal with the human tragedies that were, occurred as a result of the suicide bombing, here at the prime minister's office, some three hours this morning of consultations between Prime Minister Sharon and his top security officials, deciding on what are Israel's options. Will she go ahead and launch, initiate attacks of her own against the leadership of the militant groups which claimed responsibility for this attack, Hamas and Islamic Jihad?
Or will she try to step up the pressure, political pressure, diplomatic pressure on the Palestinian leadership of Mahmoud Abbas, who was meeting with the leaders of Islamic Jihad last night and was due to meet with Hamas leaders this morning, now called off those talks. Will the Israeli pressure be stepped up on the Palestinian leadership for him to crack down on the Palestinian militant groups?
One Israeli minister calling this the last chance for the Palestinian prime minister to show that he means literally to take on the Palestinian militant groups.
And what will the United States' position be on whether this is, indeed, the last chance for the Palestinian leadership to go after the militants -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well, Jerrold, let's talk about what the United States can do, if anything, before all of this spins out of control.
KESSEL: Well, you know, it's a very interesting time. We're right in the middle of the summer vacation and Prime Minister Sharon was due to take off tomorrow for his summer break at his farm in southern Israel at his ranch. We know the president is away on his vacation. And there's been something of a rude awakening, not just by that attack, perhaps, in Baghdad yesterday, but this attack by the Islamic militant groups on the Israeli bus.
And it is now, perhaps, crunch time, both for Prime Minister Sharon to make decisions, perhaps for President Bush to make decisions and perhaps, as a result of what decisions they take, for the Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, to take decisions.
In all, what they do or do not do could have a very, very, very direct bearing on the state of a very, very fragile peace process known as the road map for peace, which is barely alive, you could say, this morning after that attack last night -- Carol.
COSTELLO: 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 - 05:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: To a different part of the Middle East right now, to Israel, a region reeling this morning from that suicide bombing of a crowded bus in Jerusalem. The Israeli cabinet has been meeting at Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office.
Jerrold Kessel is there outside the building there -- good morning, Jerrold.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And a lot of pain, of course, in Jerusalem and elsewhere in Israel, as the Israelis begin to bury the dead from last night's devastating terror attack aboard bus Number Two. There were 20 people killed and the funerals for many of them will be held later today as the identification process continues. A number of children among the dead and also among the many wounded. Over 100 people treated in hospital and this morning 51 remain in hospital, 12 of whom are reported to be in serious condition.
And as the Israelis deal with the human tragedies that were, occurred as a result of the suicide bombing, here at the prime minister's office, some three hours this morning of consultations between Prime Minister Sharon and his top security officials, deciding on what are Israel's options. Will she go ahead and launch, initiate attacks of her own against the leadership of the militant groups which claimed responsibility for this attack, Hamas and Islamic Jihad?
Or will she try to step up the pressure, political pressure, diplomatic pressure on the Palestinian leadership of Mahmoud Abbas, who was meeting with the leaders of Islamic Jihad last night and was due to meet with Hamas leaders this morning, now called off those talks. Will the Israeli pressure be stepped up on the Palestinian leadership for him to crack down on the Palestinian militant groups?
One Israeli minister calling this the last chance for the Palestinian prime minister to show that he means literally to take on the Palestinian militant groups.
And what will the United States' position be on whether this is, indeed, the last chance for the Palestinian leadership to go after the militants -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well, Jerrold, let's talk about what the United States can do, if anything, before all of this spins out of control.
KESSEL: Well, you know, it's a very interesting time. We're right in the middle of the summer vacation and Prime Minister Sharon was due to take off tomorrow for his summer break at his farm in southern Israel at his ranch. We know the president is away on his vacation. And there's been something of a rude awakening, not just by that attack, perhaps, in Baghdad yesterday, but this attack by the Islamic militant groups on the Israeli bus.
And it is now, perhaps, crunch time, both for Prime Minister Sharon to make decisions, perhaps for President Bush to make decisions and perhaps, as a result of what decisions they take, for the Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, to take decisions.
In all, what they do or do not do could have a very, very, very direct bearing on the state of a very, very fragile peace process known as the road map for peace, which is barely alive, you could say, this morning after that attack last night -- Carol.
COSTELLO: 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
