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Israeli Security Cabinet Decides to Remove Arafat
Aired September 12, 2003 - 06:08 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: Tensions are high in other parts of the Middle East, too. Israel's Security Cabinet has resolved to expel Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat. It claims Arafat is an obstacle to peace.
Palestinian leadership calls the decision a declaration of war or a psychological ploy intended for shock effect.
So, the world waits for the next step. Will Yasser Arafat really be expelled or exiled?
Let's take you live to Jerusalem and Fionnuala Sweeney.
Good morning.
FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Let's just go over what came out of that Israeli Cabinet -- Security Cabinet meeting on Thursday evening. They took a decision in principle to remove Yasser Arafat. They didn't specifically mention the word "expulsion," but it has been generally taken to mean that.
This has been something that's been talked about on and off over the years, but the situation here in this part of the world has deteriorated rapidly since the suicide bus bombing in Jerusalem on August 19 in which 22 people died. And within the past couple of hours, we heard that that death toll had risen to 23.
Now, of course, the reaction in Ramallah in the West Bank Thursday evening to that announcement from the Israeli Security Cabinet was one of fury. Yasser Arafat addressed hundreds of Palestinians, who had gathered outside his headquarters in support of their leader. He said he would not be kicked out, and that this was, as he put it, "terra sancta" for him.
On this day, there has been a meeting which had previously been scheduled, between the American ambassador to Israel, Dan Kurtzer, and the Israeli defense minister, Shaul Mofaz. Going into that meeting, Daniel Kurtzer said that the U.S. foreign policy on Israel in the Middle East situation remains the same. Nothing had changed. They wanted to see a credible Palestinian leadership who'd be willing to stamp out the efforts of the militant groups.
During that meeting, we're told that Shaul Mofaz explained the Security Cabinet's decision, and apparently Daniel Kurtzer, the ambassador, repeated what came out of Washington on Thursday, which was that a decision to remove Yasser Arafat from the West Bank and Gaza would at this time not be helpful -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Fionnuala Sweeney reporting 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 September 12, 2003 - 06:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Tensions are high in other parts of the Middle East, too. Israel's Security Cabinet has resolved to expel Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat. It claims Arafat is an obstacle to peace.
Palestinian leadership calls the decision a declaration of war or a psychological ploy intended for shock effect.
So, the world waits for the next step. Will Yasser Arafat really be expelled or exiled?
Let's take you live to Jerusalem and Fionnuala Sweeney.
Good morning.
FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Let's just go over what came out of that Israeli Cabinet -- Security Cabinet meeting on Thursday evening. They took a decision in principle to remove Yasser Arafat. They didn't specifically mention the word "expulsion," but it has been generally taken to mean that.
This has been something that's been talked about on and off over the years, but the situation here in this part of the world has deteriorated rapidly since the suicide bus bombing in Jerusalem on August 19 in which 22 people died. And within the past couple of hours, we heard that that death toll had risen to 23.
Now, of course, the reaction in Ramallah in the West Bank Thursday evening to that announcement from the Israeli Security Cabinet was one of fury. Yasser Arafat addressed hundreds of Palestinians, who had gathered outside his headquarters in support of their leader. He said he would not be kicked out, and that this was, as he put it, "terra sancta" for him.
On this day, there has been a meeting which had previously been scheduled, between the American ambassador to Israel, Dan Kurtzer, and the Israeli defense minister, Shaul Mofaz. Going into that meeting, Daniel Kurtzer said that the U.S. foreign policy on Israel in the Middle East situation remains the same. Nothing had changed. They wanted to see a credible Palestinian leadership who'd be willing to stamp out the efforts of the militant groups.
During that meeting, we're told that Shaul Mofaz explained the Security Cabinet's decision, and apparently Daniel Kurtzer, the ambassador, repeated what came out of Washington on Thursday, which was that a decision to remove Yasser Arafat from the West Bank and Gaza would at this time not be helpful -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Fionnuala Sweeney reporting 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.
