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CNN Live Sunday
Explosions Heard in Gaza
Aired September 07, 2003 - 16:18 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the crisis in the Middle East, explosions were heard in the Gaza Strip just a few moments ago. This, as Palestinian Authority president, Yasser Arafat, already has a replacement in mind for Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, who stepped down yesterday. Parliamentary speaker Ahmed Qureia.
Our Chris Burns is in Gaza with the latest on this. And is there any feeling that these explosions could in any way be related to the resignation of a president and the appointment, or the idea of another one?
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, let me give you the details we have so far. According to Palestinian sources an Israeli helicopter has fired at least one rocket into an apartment building this evening here in Gaza, in the Kaunas (ph) -- city of Kaunas. At least seven people are wounded, according to hospital sources.
This comes just a day after another Israeli jet dropped a bomb on an apartment building here in Gaza trying to kill Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual leader of the Hamas militant group. He came out almost unscathed, injuring his arm. But this is the Israeli all-out war that they have declared on the militants ever since that August 19 bus bombing in Jerusalem that killed 22 people.
At the same time, yes, there is political turmoil and one could say, yes, that this war between the Israelis and Hamas has helped to tip over the government of Mahmoud Abbas, the prime minister who formerly resigned yesterday. Now, there is word that Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian Authority president, has formerly nominated Ahmed Qureia, who is the speaker of the Palestinian parliament as the new prime minister. He is two steps ahead now in that direction where both the PLO and the fatwa organization top leadership, according to Palestinian sources, have approved that idea.
But Mr. Qureia has yet to accept that. The question is, will Mr. Qureia be any more successful in trying to rein in the militants by taking control of all the security forces of the Palestinian Authority? That is why Mr. Abbas -- one big reason Mr. Abbas quit yesterday, because he couldn't get that cooperation from Yasser Arafat. Also Mr. Abbas had also blamed the Israelis and the Americans for not moving ahead with confidence-building measures and would change the lives of Palestinians and move ahead this peace process, the road map to peace. So very much up in the air here. At the same time, of course, also there was a protest here in Gaza by hundreds of Palestinian students in favor of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. That came a day after Yassin was attacked. Also on the Israeli side, the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, was meeting with his cabinet today. He said in a newspaper interview published today that the Palestinian Hamas group was marked for death.
So a war of words by both sides between Hamas and the Israelis as we see political turmoil and yet another Israeli attack here in Gaza. We'll have to see if that is yet another attempt at killing another Hamas militant.
Back to you, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And, Chris, the lingering question about the prime minister position, would Ahmed Qureia be somebody that the Israelis even want to deal with, or even the U.S. officials would want to endorse?
BURNS: Well, very good question. The Israelis up to now said they would never deal any more with Yasser Arafat nor anybody who is directly appointed by him. That is the big question. The Israelis only want to do business with Abbas, but they have left open the idea that there could be someone else, and Mr. Qureia has been in peace negotiations in the past.
He helped to bring about the Oslo agreement, so he is seen as a potential middle east negotiator. He has done business in the past with the Israelis and the Americans. So, perhaps he could do that again. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Chris Burns in Gaza, thank you very much.
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 September 7, 2003 - 16:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the crisis in the Middle East, explosions were heard in the Gaza Strip just a few moments ago. This, as Palestinian Authority president, Yasser Arafat, already has a replacement in mind for Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, who stepped down yesterday. Parliamentary speaker Ahmed Qureia.
Our Chris Burns is in Gaza with the latest on this. And is there any feeling that these explosions could in any way be related to the resignation of a president and the appointment, or the idea of another one?
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, let me give you the details we have so far. According to Palestinian sources an Israeli helicopter has fired at least one rocket into an apartment building this evening here in Gaza, in the Kaunas (ph) -- city of Kaunas. At least seven people are wounded, according to hospital sources.
This comes just a day after another Israeli jet dropped a bomb on an apartment building here in Gaza trying to kill Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual leader of the Hamas militant group. He came out almost unscathed, injuring his arm. But this is the Israeli all-out war that they have declared on the militants ever since that August 19 bus bombing in Jerusalem that killed 22 people.
At the same time, yes, there is political turmoil and one could say, yes, that this war between the Israelis and Hamas has helped to tip over the government of Mahmoud Abbas, the prime minister who formerly resigned yesterday. Now, there is word that Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian Authority president, has formerly nominated Ahmed Qureia, who is the speaker of the Palestinian parliament as the new prime minister. He is two steps ahead now in that direction where both the PLO and the fatwa organization top leadership, according to Palestinian sources, have approved that idea.
But Mr. Qureia has yet to accept that. The question is, will Mr. Qureia be any more successful in trying to rein in the militants by taking control of all the security forces of the Palestinian Authority? That is why Mr. Abbas -- one big reason Mr. Abbas quit yesterday, because he couldn't get that cooperation from Yasser Arafat. Also Mr. Abbas had also blamed the Israelis and the Americans for not moving ahead with confidence-building measures and would change the lives of Palestinians and move ahead this peace process, the road map to peace. So very much up in the air here. At the same time, of course, also there was a protest here in Gaza by hundreds of Palestinian students in favor of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. That came a day after Yassin was attacked. Also on the Israeli side, the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, was meeting with his cabinet today. He said in a newspaper interview published today that the Palestinian Hamas group was marked for death.
So a war of words by both sides between Hamas and the Israelis as we see political turmoil and yet another Israeli attack here in Gaza. We'll have to see if that is yet another attempt at killing another Hamas militant.
Back to you, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And, Chris, the lingering question about the prime minister position, would Ahmed Qureia be somebody that the Israelis even want to deal with, or even the U.S. officials would want to endorse?
BURNS: Well, very good question. The Israelis up to now said they would never deal any more with Yasser Arafat nor anybody who is directly appointed by him. That is the big question. The Israelis only want to do business with Abbas, but they have left open the idea that there could be someone else, and Mr. Qureia has been in peace negotiations in the past.
He helped to bring about the Oslo agreement, so he is seen as a potential middle east negotiator. He has done business in the past with the Israelis and the Americans. So, perhaps he could do that again. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Chris Burns in Gaza, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
