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CNN Live At Daybreak
Life, Death and Legacy of Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat
Aired November 11, 2004 - 06:00 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: The end of an era as news of Yasser Arafat's death spreads around the world.
It's Thursday, November 11, and this is DAYBREAK.
Good morning.
From the CNN Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Costello this morning.
Our top stories now in the news, less than an hour ago, Palestinian Parliament Speaker Rauhi Fattouh was sworn in as Yasser Arafat's temporary replacement as president. Fattouh will serve as interim president until elections are held within 60 days. Former Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas takes Arafat's title as the head of the PLO.
Israel fears Arafat's death could spark days of demonstrations by Palestinians. Israeli forces have sealed off the West Bank and Gaza and stepped up security around Jewish settlements.
Thousands of Palestinian mourners poured into the streets in the West Bank and Gaza. In Ramallah, workers are preparing a grave site that will become a shrine to Arafat.
In Iraq, a busy commercial street in central Baghdad was rocked by a large explosion just over two hours ago. Iraqi officials say there are 12 dead. The officials suspect a car bomb.
Now let's get you caught up on what's happening in the wake of Yasser Arafat's death.
We have several live reports this morning.
Fionnuala Sweeney is in Paris, Ben Wedeman will update us on funeral preparations from Cairo and coming up later in the show, Michael Holmes will have a live report from Ramallah on the changes under way in the Palestinian leadership.
But first, let's go to Paris with Fionnuala Sweeney -- hello, Fionnuala.
FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Fredericka, it is just under seven hours now since General Christian Estripeau, the French military hospital spokesman at the Percy Hospital behind me came out to the waiting press and announced that Yasser Arafat had passed away at 3:30 local time this morning. And the funeral arrangements, as we know, taking place in Cairo. But what we know happening here today, in about 10 minutes we expect the French president, Jacques Chirac, to come here to the hospital and pay his last respects to Yasser Arafat. Then what we understand will take place later in the day is a ceremony at about 5:00 local time at a French military airport just outside Paris. That will be quite heavily represented by the French government. We know that the defense minister, the foreign minister and the French prime minister will be at that ceremony.
And then at about 6:00 p.m. local time, we expect the plane carrying Yasser Arafat's remains and also his wife, Suha, and close members of his family, as well as the Palestinian foreign minister, Nabil Shaath, to leave France en route to Cairo.
We understand the Palestinian foreign minister, Nabil Shaath, already in the air flying here to Paris from Ramallah via Jordan. He's coming here straight to the hospital in order to accompany the remains of Yasser Arafat back to Cairo and then on to Ramallah in the West Bank -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Fionnuala Sweeney, thanks so much for that update from Paris.
Yasser Arafat's funeral is planned for Friday morning in Cairo, as Fionnuala just explained.
For the latest on the plans, however, let's go to CNN's Cairo bureau chief, Ben Wedeman -- Ben. BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredericka, we are expecting Yasser Arafat's body to arrive here 9:00 p.m. local time. We're told by Egyptian officials that the body will be kept in an Egyptian military hospital near Cairo International Airport overnight. In the morning, at 11:00, there's going to be a memorial service, expected to be attended by many Arab head of states and others, including the presidents of South Africa and Brazil, who will be attending. We're told from the United States, is Assistant Secretary of State William Burns, who has spent a lot of time in this part of the world in recent years, will be representing the U.S.
Now, this is going to be a military funeral, we are told, by election officials. And afterwards the body will be flown by Egyptian military helicopter to Ramallah.
Now, we've seen security significantly beefed up throughout the Egyptian capital. The United States Embassy is warning American citizens to stay away from the middle of the city out of fear of the potential for spontaneous protests or demonstrations following the death of the Palestinian leader -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Ben Wedeman in Cairo, thanks so much for that update.
Well, President Bush called Yasser Arafat's death a significant moment in Palestinian history. The president also offered his condolences to the Palestinian people and said, "During the period of transition that is ahead, we urge all in the region and throughout the world to join in helping make progress toward these goals and toward the ultimate goal of peace." Those words from President Bush.
Former President Clinton met with Arafat many times in an effort to broker peace in the Middle East. He offend this statement, saying, "However others viewed him, the Palestinians saw him as the father of their nation. I regret that in 2000 he missed the opportunity to bring that nation into being and pray for the day when the dreams of the Palestinian people for a state and a better life will be realized in a just and lasting peace." Those words from former President Bill Clinton.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says he hopes calm will prevail in the region during this period of mourning.
With more on what's next for the U.S.-Middle East peace process, we turn to CNN's Andrea Koppel at the U.S. State Department.
Good morning to you -- Andrea.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredericka.
Well, unlike other U.S. allies, not only in the Middle East, but also in Europe, who will be sending either head of states or their foreign ministers, Secretary of State Colin Powell will not be attending Yasser Arafat's funeral. That's no surprise. For the last two and a half years, the U.S. has tried to sideline Yasser Arafat, calling him a major obstacle for peace, saying that there should be a new Palestinian leadership. Instead, the U.S. is going to be sending the, one of the top Middle East hands here at the State Department, William Burns. He'll be representing the United States at that funeral.
Now, Secretary of State Powell did issue a statement. The U.S. has been preparing for this for the last 11 days, so it came out shortly after the announcement that Yasser Arafat had, in fact, passed from the scene. And in his statement, Powell called Yasser Arafat, "a significant figure in the history of the region and the world. And we know that in the eyes of the Palestinian people, Arafat embodied their hopes and dreams for the achievement of an independent Palestinian state."
Now, while it's certainly a symbolic slap in the face that Secretary Powell or a more senior U.S. official is not going to be attending the funeral or the burial, really what we need to look at is more the substance. And, in fact, the funeral and the burial, while important to the Palestinian people, have nothing to do with the peace process. And so what we need to look at in the days ahead, Fredericka, is whether or not the Bush administration reaches out to the new Palestinian leadership.
Now, at least in the short-term, we know who those individuals will be. They'll be two people who are actually quite familiar to the Bush administration -- Ahmed Qureia, who is the current Palestinian prime minister. He's been in that position for the last year or so. And then the man who first held that position, Mahmoud Abbas. He was in that position for about four months now. Both of the those Palestinian prime ministers had complained privately that Yasser Arafat was not giving them the support that they needed in order to control the security forces in the Palestinian territories so that they could crack down on terrorism.
This is going to be the first real test for these two men, who will be sort of sharing power over the next number of months until there can be elections held in the Palestinian territories.
And when Tony Blair, the British prime minister, comes here on Friday, Fredericka, look for him to again press the Bush administration, and directly Mr. Bush, to do everything he can to help those two men succeed and to put pressure on the Israelis to offer up some various incentives for the prime ministers then to turn to the Palestinian people and be able to show them that they can deliver where Yasser Arafat had not.
WHITFIELD: And, Andrea, you have to wonder if the State Department is optimistic in trying to forge some sort of negotiations with this collective leadership of the Palestinian government or people, you know, or if they feel that it's going to be that much more complicated because they are dealing with at least three now elected, newly elected leaders.
KOPPEL: I think it's going to be a little bit of both. I think certainly considering the fact that the Bush administration called Yasser Arafat the obstacle to peace, the fact that he is now removed permanently from the scene opens an opportunity. It remains to be seen, though, whether or not the Ahmed Qureia and Mahmoud Abbas and the speaker of the Palestinian parliament, who is now the president of the Palestinian Authority for the next 60 days, whether or not they will be able to deliver to the Palestinian people. That is going to be the test -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: All right, a test, indeed.
Thanks so much, Andrea Koppel, from the State Department in the nation's capital.
Well, about 22 hours from now, Yasser Arafat's funeral will take place in Cairo, Egypt ahead of interment scheduled for Ramallah. We'll have a live report as Arafat's body begins its journey to a final resting place.
And Cuban leader Fidel Castro is another leader known for his defiance. Our Havana bureau chief joins me with a perspective.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news on this Thursday morning, November 11.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Your news, money and weather and sports.
It is now 11 minutes after the hour and here is what's all new this morning. Another juror has been tossed off the Scott Peterson case. The judge gave no reason for his decision to dismiss juror number five. Juror number five was also the jury foreman. He was now the second juror dismissed in as many days. But overall, three jurors have been dismissed from this case.
In money, interest rates up for the fourth time this year. The Fed raised its target interest rate another quarter point, to 2 percent. That's the highest rate since 2001.
In culture, there is a new driver's manual for Amish horse and buggy owners. It took three years for the manual to be put together by Amish leaders and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
In sports, the Cleveland Cavaliers mounted a late run to surge past the Phoenix Suns in overtime. Lebron James led the way for the Cavs, with 38 points.
And...
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You can't call him a rookie anymore, huh?
WHITFIELD: No, I don't think so. And maybe now folks are not complaining about the big bank he's pulling in, huh?
MYERS: Yes, exactly.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Back now to our top story, the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, a man revered by some, reviled by others.
CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour has sat face-to-face with this controversial leader.
She joins us now live from London.
Good to see you -- Christiane.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredericka, for 40 years, Yasser Arafat was a world leader. He was the singular face of the Palestinian people's identity, the singular repository of their hopes and dreams for an independent state. And now that he is gone, world leaders, with whom he dealt, with whom he met, with whom he forged relationships over the last four decades, are pouring forth their reactions and their condolences.
It's come from France, from Russia, from all over Europe, from the United Nations and, of course, also from the United States.
Here in Britain, Prime Minister Tony Blair offered condolences and also issued a call for the peace process to be restarted.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Well, obviously he was a huge icon for the Palestinian people and there's no doubt about that at all. And whatever differences we had with him, I think it's right to recognize that. And I think the most important thing is to make sure that we invigorate the peace process, because there's misery for the Palestinians, there's misery for Israelis, who suffer terrorist activity. And in the meantime, we've got a situation where it's a huge source of discontent and a problem within the world. So it's important we deal with it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR: Prime Minister Blair is sending his foreign minister, Jack Straw, to represent the British government at the state funeral in Cairo tomorrow. Meantime, Blair himself is en route to the United States to meet with President Bush. He'll be the first foreign leader to do so since President Bush was reelected and his -- one of his main points will be to tell President Bush that this Middle East peace process is one of the highest worldwide priorities right now and to see whether the United States can reengage in a process that they have essentially abandoned for the last three to four years. This is a very big priority for Prime Minister Blair.
And reaction has also come in from Israel. The former foreign minister of Israel, Shimon Peres, who was one of the partners at the Oslo Peace Accords and who stood on the White House lawn with President Clinton, Yasser Arafat, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin back in 1993, he has said about Arafat's passing, "Let bygones be bygones and openings be openings. We hope now that there will be a new opening for the future" -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: Christiane, with that having been said, then, from Shimon Peres, you have to wonder, then, symbolically, how important is it for various countries to send head of states at the level of, say, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw, who will be attending the funeral scheduled for Cairo?
AMANPOUR: Well, of course, Straw is foreign minister, not a head of state or a government. And many, I'm sure the Arab countries will send their highest delegations and their highest leaders and they will come from other countries, as well.
But as far as the United States, which is sending the point man, their State Department official for the Middle East peace process, clearly the U.S. has demoted, if you like, the importance of bringing peace between Israel and the Palestinians over the last few years. They did call Yasser Arafat an obstacle for peace and obviously this reflects what they're thinking right now. But even the United States, certainly President Bush and others, have been saying that if there is a new partner for peace in the Middle East, then they would pledge to help that on. And most people, including Israelis, my sources tell me, are saying that they're very impressed with the orderly transition from Arafat being in control as much as he possibly was under the circumstances to the post-Arafat era that's now taking place in the Palestinian territories and was, in fact, being prepared all the while that he was on his death bed in Paris. WHITFIELD: All right, Christiane Amanpour, thanks very much for that update coming from London this morning.
Well, for almost three years, Yasser Arafat was confined to his Ramallah compound fearing he might not be allowed to return if he left the area. Now his body heads back to the West Bank by way of Cairo. We'll have a report.
And world leaders who take their cues from no one. Our Havana bureau chief joins me with the perspective on Fidel Castro, his government and that country's future.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTER UPDEGRAVE, SENIOR EDITOR, "MONEY": I think that real estate should definitely be part of an investment portfolio. The main reason is that it doesn't always move in sync with the stock markets. For investigate in real estate, the two main strategies that are easiest are probably, number one, just to buy a small apartment building or a single family home. And the other is to invest in real estate securities such as REITs, real estate investment trusts, or mutual funds that invest in real estate investment trusts.
While it's a good thing to have in your portfolio, you don't want your portfolio lopsided and you don't want to have too much money in real estate. You don't want to be too dependent on that one sector. So basically we're talking about limiting yourself to maybe 10 to 15 percent of your total portfolio in real estate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, just as Yasser Arafat was a lightning rod for controversy, so, too, is Cuban President Fidel Castro. At roughly the same age as Arafat, the Cuban leader still rules his island nation with an iron fist.
Havana bureau chief Lucia Newman joins me now with a look at some of the similarities, you know, between the leadership of these two men.
Among the similarities, Lucia, both ruling their people for nearly four decades, in one case just shy of four decades; in another, just over four decades.
LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
WHITFIELD: And really in defiance of what some world opinion is.
What's been your experience in trying to, you know, reflect on these similarities and differences?
NEWMAN: Well, Fredericka, you are absolutely right. President Castro has ruled -- his word is law in Cuba. There's no doubt about that. But unlike Yasser Arafat, he has had far fewer challenges to his authority. Really, the challenges to Castro have come from the United States, 90 miles away. He's survived more than nine U.S. administrations, different presidents. And he continues to rule steadfast. He doesn't budge. He doesn't make compromises, very, very few.
I think Yasser Arafat at different times has appeared to have wanted to be more conciliatory. He has even sat down at the table, as we know, with his arch enemy, with the Israelis, at one point, although it never came to fruition, the agreements that were signed years ago and a decade ago.
But President Castro has not done that and perhaps because the opposition from the United States has been absolutely steadfast, as well. So the personalities are similar, but the situation isn't.
WHITFIELD: And another similarity, perhaps, the real polarization of the people, you know, under both leaders' rule in terms of opinion about him. You know, in some circles, the Palestinian people love him. In other circles, they don't. And the same goes for Fidel Castro.
NEWMAN: There is no middle ground. You either love him or you hate him. That's absolutely true about President Castro and it's no secret that there are tens of thousands of Cubans that have fled that country in the last 45 years since he took over because either for economic reasons and/or also ideological reasons. And that continues even inside the country. You know, there are people who would die for him and there are others who are dying for him to leave, to do the same thing that Yasser Arafat has just done.
WHITFIELD: And let's talk about the future, you know, of Cuba, if there's a way in which to look at it. In the case of Yasser Arafat, he really designated no one as his successor.
has Fidel Castro, an aging Fidel Castro, designated a successor?
NEWMAN: Oh, absolutely. At least on paper it's very clear who is supposed to take over once President Castro can no longer rule, either out of because of illness or because he dies. He's already 78. It's his brother, his brother Raoul Castro, who is the defense minister. But remember, there's only five years...
WHITFIELD: They're very different people, aren't they?
NEWMAN: They're very different personalities. But Raoul Castro is only five years younger. So that's not going to be a long lasting solution at all.
WHITFIELD: No.
NEWMAN: And he has not, he doesn't have the popularity that President Castro had or the charisma or, many say, the legitimacy. He told me that himself. So what's going to happen afterwards is really an un -- it's a big question. Nobody knows. Many people in Cuba say that no matter what, things will never be the same after President Castro dies. WHITFIELD: All right, Havana bureau chief Lucia Newman, good to see you in person.
NEWMAN: Thanks for having me here.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much for helping to reflect on the similarities and the differences between these two leaders.
Well, CNN just spoke to the leader of Israel's Labor Party about the death of Arafat and here is now what the foreign minister, Shimon Peres, has to say about Yasser Arafat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHIMON PERES, FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: It's an end of a period and the death of a leader. Somehow the personal biography and the historic development met together and there will be a new beginning, undoubtedly. Arafat was, for 40 years, the head of the Palestinians. He left his imprints and impact both upon the Palestinians and a positive peace process. He has had ups and downs, occasionally more downs, particularly when he turned to violence. He has shown courage at Oslo, but for a limited period of time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Mixed points of view, but very hopeful points of view coming from the foreign minister, Israel's foreign minister, Shimon Peres, who shared that Nobel Peace Prize that was awarded to Yasser Arafat back in 1994 because of their Oslo Accord agreements back in 1993.
Well, it is a place Yasser Arafat knew well, Ramallah in the West Bank. Now it will be his resting place. A live report straight ahead.
Also ahead, changes in Palestinian politics. Ron Brownstein of the "L.A. Times" is my guest next to talk about the impact of Arafat's death on the almost forgotten peace process.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired November 11, 2004 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The end of an era as news of Yasser Arafat's death spreads around the world.
It's Thursday, November 11, and this is DAYBREAK.
Good morning.
From the CNN Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Costello this morning.
Our top stories now in the news, less than an hour ago, Palestinian Parliament Speaker Rauhi Fattouh was sworn in as Yasser Arafat's temporary replacement as president. Fattouh will serve as interim president until elections are held within 60 days. Former Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas takes Arafat's title as the head of the PLO.
Israel fears Arafat's death could spark days of demonstrations by Palestinians. Israeli forces have sealed off the West Bank and Gaza and stepped up security around Jewish settlements.
Thousands of Palestinian mourners poured into the streets in the West Bank and Gaza. In Ramallah, workers are preparing a grave site that will become a shrine to Arafat.
In Iraq, a busy commercial street in central Baghdad was rocked by a large explosion just over two hours ago. Iraqi officials say there are 12 dead. The officials suspect a car bomb.
Now let's get you caught up on what's happening in the wake of Yasser Arafat's death.
We have several live reports this morning.
Fionnuala Sweeney is in Paris, Ben Wedeman will update us on funeral preparations from Cairo and coming up later in the show, Michael Holmes will have a live report from Ramallah on the changes under way in the Palestinian leadership.
But first, let's go to Paris with Fionnuala Sweeney -- hello, Fionnuala.
FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Fredericka, it is just under seven hours now since General Christian Estripeau, the French military hospital spokesman at the Percy Hospital behind me came out to the waiting press and announced that Yasser Arafat had passed away at 3:30 local time this morning. And the funeral arrangements, as we know, taking place in Cairo. But what we know happening here today, in about 10 minutes we expect the French president, Jacques Chirac, to come here to the hospital and pay his last respects to Yasser Arafat. Then what we understand will take place later in the day is a ceremony at about 5:00 local time at a French military airport just outside Paris. That will be quite heavily represented by the French government. We know that the defense minister, the foreign minister and the French prime minister will be at that ceremony.
And then at about 6:00 p.m. local time, we expect the plane carrying Yasser Arafat's remains and also his wife, Suha, and close members of his family, as well as the Palestinian foreign minister, Nabil Shaath, to leave France en route to Cairo.
We understand the Palestinian foreign minister, Nabil Shaath, already in the air flying here to Paris from Ramallah via Jordan. He's coming here straight to the hospital in order to accompany the remains of Yasser Arafat back to Cairo and then on to Ramallah in the West Bank -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Fionnuala Sweeney, thanks so much for that update from Paris.
Yasser Arafat's funeral is planned for Friday morning in Cairo, as Fionnuala just explained.
For the latest on the plans, however, let's go to CNN's Cairo bureau chief, Ben Wedeman -- Ben. BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredericka, we are expecting Yasser Arafat's body to arrive here 9:00 p.m. local time. We're told by Egyptian officials that the body will be kept in an Egyptian military hospital near Cairo International Airport overnight. In the morning, at 11:00, there's going to be a memorial service, expected to be attended by many Arab head of states and others, including the presidents of South Africa and Brazil, who will be attending. We're told from the United States, is Assistant Secretary of State William Burns, who has spent a lot of time in this part of the world in recent years, will be representing the U.S.
Now, this is going to be a military funeral, we are told, by election officials. And afterwards the body will be flown by Egyptian military helicopter to Ramallah.
Now, we've seen security significantly beefed up throughout the Egyptian capital. The United States Embassy is warning American citizens to stay away from the middle of the city out of fear of the potential for spontaneous protests or demonstrations following the death of the Palestinian leader -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Ben Wedeman in Cairo, thanks so much for that update.
Well, President Bush called Yasser Arafat's death a significant moment in Palestinian history. The president also offered his condolences to the Palestinian people and said, "During the period of transition that is ahead, we urge all in the region and throughout the world to join in helping make progress toward these goals and toward the ultimate goal of peace." Those words from President Bush.
Former President Clinton met with Arafat many times in an effort to broker peace in the Middle East. He offend this statement, saying, "However others viewed him, the Palestinians saw him as the father of their nation. I regret that in 2000 he missed the opportunity to bring that nation into being and pray for the day when the dreams of the Palestinian people for a state and a better life will be realized in a just and lasting peace." Those words from former President Bill Clinton.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says he hopes calm will prevail in the region during this period of mourning.
With more on what's next for the U.S.-Middle East peace process, we turn to CNN's Andrea Koppel at the U.S. State Department.
Good morning to you -- Andrea.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredericka.
Well, unlike other U.S. allies, not only in the Middle East, but also in Europe, who will be sending either head of states or their foreign ministers, Secretary of State Colin Powell will not be attending Yasser Arafat's funeral. That's no surprise. For the last two and a half years, the U.S. has tried to sideline Yasser Arafat, calling him a major obstacle for peace, saying that there should be a new Palestinian leadership. Instead, the U.S. is going to be sending the, one of the top Middle East hands here at the State Department, William Burns. He'll be representing the United States at that funeral.
Now, Secretary of State Powell did issue a statement. The U.S. has been preparing for this for the last 11 days, so it came out shortly after the announcement that Yasser Arafat had, in fact, passed from the scene. And in his statement, Powell called Yasser Arafat, "a significant figure in the history of the region and the world. And we know that in the eyes of the Palestinian people, Arafat embodied their hopes and dreams for the achievement of an independent Palestinian state."
Now, while it's certainly a symbolic slap in the face that Secretary Powell or a more senior U.S. official is not going to be attending the funeral or the burial, really what we need to look at is more the substance. And, in fact, the funeral and the burial, while important to the Palestinian people, have nothing to do with the peace process. And so what we need to look at in the days ahead, Fredericka, is whether or not the Bush administration reaches out to the new Palestinian leadership.
Now, at least in the short-term, we know who those individuals will be. They'll be two people who are actually quite familiar to the Bush administration -- Ahmed Qureia, who is the current Palestinian prime minister. He's been in that position for the last year or so. And then the man who first held that position, Mahmoud Abbas. He was in that position for about four months now. Both of the those Palestinian prime ministers had complained privately that Yasser Arafat was not giving them the support that they needed in order to control the security forces in the Palestinian territories so that they could crack down on terrorism.
This is going to be the first real test for these two men, who will be sort of sharing power over the next number of months until there can be elections held in the Palestinian territories.
And when Tony Blair, the British prime minister, comes here on Friday, Fredericka, look for him to again press the Bush administration, and directly Mr. Bush, to do everything he can to help those two men succeed and to put pressure on the Israelis to offer up some various incentives for the prime ministers then to turn to the Palestinian people and be able to show them that they can deliver where Yasser Arafat had not.
WHITFIELD: And, Andrea, you have to wonder if the State Department is optimistic in trying to forge some sort of negotiations with this collective leadership of the Palestinian government or people, you know, or if they feel that it's going to be that much more complicated because they are dealing with at least three now elected, newly elected leaders.
KOPPEL: I think it's going to be a little bit of both. I think certainly considering the fact that the Bush administration called Yasser Arafat the obstacle to peace, the fact that he is now removed permanently from the scene opens an opportunity. It remains to be seen, though, whether or not the Ahmed Qureia and Mahmoud Abbas and the speaker of the Palestinian parliament, who is now the president of the Palestinian Authority for the next 60 days, whether or not they will be able to deliver to the Palestinian people. That is going to be the test -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: All right, a test, indeed.
Thanks so much, Andrea Koppel, from the State Department in the nation's capital.
Well, about 22 hours from now, Yasser Arafat's funeral will take place in Cairo, Egypt ahead of interment scheduled for Ramallah. We'll have a live report as Arafat's body begins its journey to a final resting place.
And Cuban leader Fidel Castro is another leader known for his defiance. Our Havana bureau chief joins me with a perspective.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news on this Thursday morning, November 11.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Your news, money and weather and sports.
It is now 11 minutes after the hour and here is what's all new this morning. Another juror has been tossed off the Scott Peterson case. The judge gave no reason for his decision to dismiss juror number five. Juror number five was also the jury foreman. He was now the second juror dismissed in as many days. But overall, three jurors have been dismissed from this case.
In money, interest rates up for the fourth time this year. The Fed raised its target interest rate another quarter point, to 2 percent. That's the highest rate since 2001.
In culture, there is a new driver's manual for Amish horse and buggy owners. It took three years for the manual to be put together by Amish leaders and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
In sports, the Cleveland Cavaliers mounted a late run to surge past the Phoenix Suns in overtime. Lebron James led the way for the Cavs, with 38 points.
And...
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You can't call him a rookie anymore, huh?
WHITFIELD: No, I don't think so. And maybe now folks are not complaining about the big bank he's pulling in, huh?
MYERS: Yes, exactly.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Back now to our top story, the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, a man revered by some, reviled by others.
CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour has sat face-to-face with this controversial leader.
She joins us now live from London.
Good to see you -- Christiane.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredericka, for 40 years, Yasser Arafat was a world leader. He was the singular face of the Palestinian people's identity, the singular repository of their hopes and dreams for an independent state. And now that he is gone, world leaders, with whom he dealt, with whom he met, with whom he forged relationships over the last four decades, are pouring forth their reactions and their condolences.
It's come from France, from Russia, from all over Europe, from the United Nations and, of course, also from the United States.
Here in Britain, Prime Minister Tony Blair offered condolences and also issued a call for the peace process to be restarted.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Well, obviously he was a huge icon for the Palestinian people and there's no doubt about that at all. And whatever differences we had with him, I think it's right to recognize that. And I think the most important thing is to make sure that we invigorate the peace process, because there's misery for the Palestinians, there's misery for Israelis, who suffer terrorist activity. And in the meantime, we've got a situation where it's a huge source of discontent and a problem within the world. So it's important we deal with it.
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AMANPOUR: Prime Minister Blair is sending his foreign minister, Jack Straw, to represent the British government at the state funeral in Cairo tomorrow. Meantime, Blair himself is en route to the United States to meet with President Bush. He'll be the first foreign leader to do so since President Bush was reelected and his -- one of his main points will be to tell President Bush that this Middle East peace process is one of the highest worldwide priorities right now and to see whether the United States can reengage in a process that they have essentially abandoned for the last three to four years. This is a very big priority for Prime Minister Blair.
And reaction has also come in from Israel. The former foreign minister of Israel, Shimon Peres, who was one of the partners at the Oslo Peace Accords and who stood on the White House lawn with President Clinton, Yasser Arafat, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin back in 1993, he has said about Arafat's passing, "Let bygones be bygones and openings be openings. We hope now that there will be a new opening for the future" -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: Christiane, with that having been said, then, from Shimon Peres, you have to wonder, then, symbolically, how important is it for various countries to send head of states at the level of, say, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw, who will be attending the funeral scheduled for Cairo?
AMANPOUR: Well, of course, Straw is foreign minister, not a head of state or a government. And many, I'm sure the Arab countries will send their highest delegations and their highest leaders and they will come from other countries, as well.
But as far as the United States, which is sending the point man, their State Department official for the Middle East peace process, clearly the U.S. has demoted, if you like, the importance of bringing peace between Israel and the Palestinians over the last few years. They did call Yasser Arafat an obstacle for peace and obviously this reflects what they're thinking right now. But even the United States, certainly President Bush and others, have been saying that if there is a new partner for peace in the Middle East, then they would pledge to help that on. And most people, including Israelis, my sources tell me, are saying that they're very impressed with the orderly transition from Arafat being in control as much as he possibly was under the circumstances to the post-Arafat era that's now taking place in the Palestinian territories and was, in fact, being prepared all the while that he was on his death bed in Paris. WHITFIELD: All right, Christiane Amanpour, thanks very much for that update coming from London this morning.
Well, for almost three years, Yasser Arafat was confined to his Ramallah compound fearing he might not be allowed to return if he left the area. Now his body heads back to the West Bank by way of Cairo. We'll have a report.
And world leaders who take their cues from no one. Our Havana bureau chief joins me with the perspective on Fidel Castro, his government and that country's future.
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WALTER UPDEGRAVE, SENIOR EDITOR, "MONEY": I think that real estate should definitely be part of an investment portfolio. The main reason is that it doesn't always move in sync with the stock markets. For investigate in real estate, the two main strategies that are easiest are probably, number one, just to buy a small apartment building or a single family home. And the other is to invest in real estate securities such as REITs, real estate investment trusts, or mutual funds that invest in real estate investment trusts.
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WHITFIELD: Well, just as Yasser Arafat was a lightning rod for controversy, so, too, is Cuban President Fidel Castro. At roughly the same age as Arafat, the Cuban leader still rules his island nation with an iron fist.
Havana bureau chief Lucia Newman joins me now with a look at some of the similarities, you know, between the leadership of these two men.
Among the similarities, Lucia, both ruling their people for nearly four decades, in one case just shy of four decades; in another, just over four decades.
LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
WHITFIELD: And really in defiance of what some world opinion is.
What's been your experience in trying to, you know, reflect on these similarities and differences?
NEWMAN: Well, Fredericka, you are absolutely right. President Castro has ruled -- his word is law in Cuba. There's no doubt about that. But unlike Yasser Arafat, he has had far fewer challenges to his authority. Really, the challenges to Castro have come from the United States, 90 miles away. He's survived more than nine U.S. administrations, different presidents. And he continues to rule steadfast. He doesn't budge. He doesn't make compromises, very, very few.
I think Yasser Arafat at different times has appeared to have wanted to be more conciliatory. He has even sat down at the table, as we know, with his arch enemy, with the Israelis, at one point, although it never came to fruition, the agreements that were signed years ago and a decade ago.
But President Castro has not done that and perhaps because the opposition from the United States has been absolutely steadfast, as well. So the personalities are similar, but the situation isn't.
WHITFIELD: And another similarity, perhaps, the real polarization of the people, you know, under both leaders' rule in terms of opinion about him. You know, in some circles, the Palestinian people love him. In other circles, they don't. And the same goes for Fidel Castro.
NEWMAN: There is no middle ground. You either love him or you hate him. That's absolutely true about President Castro and it's no secret that there are tens of thousands of Cubans that have fled that country in the last 45 years since he took over because either for economic reasons and/or also ideological reasons. And that continues even inside the country. You know, there are people who would die for him and there are others who are dying for him to leave, to do the same thing that Yasser Arafat has just done.
WHITFIELD: And let's talk about the future, you know, of Cuba, if there's a way in which to look at it. In the case of Yasser Arafat, he really designated no one as his successor.
has Fidel Castro, an aging Fidel Castro, designated a successor?
NEWMAN: Oh, absolutely. At least on paper it's very clear who is supposed to take over once President Castro can no longer rule, either out of because of illness or because he dies. He's already 78. It's his brother, his brother Raoul Castro, who is the defense minister. But remember, there's only five years...
WHITFIELD: They're very different people, aren't they?
NEWMAN: They're very different personalities. But Raoul Castro is only five years younger. So that's not going to be a long lasting solution at all.
WHITFIELD: No.
NEWMAN: And he has not, he doesn't have the popularity that President Castro had or the charisma or, many say, the legitimacy. He told me that himself. So what's going to happen afterwards is really an un -- it's a big question. Nobody knows. Many people in Cuba say that no matter what, things will never be the same after President Castro dies. WHITFIELD: All right, Havana bureau chief Lucia Newman, good to see you in person.
NEWMAN: Thanks for having me here.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much for helping to reflect on the similarities and the differences between these two leaders.
Well, CNN just spoke to the leader of Israel's Labor Party about the death of Arafat and here is now what the foreign minister, Shimon Peres, has to say about Yasser Arafat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHIMON PERES, FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: It's an end of a period and the death of a leader. Somehow the personal biography and the historic development met together and there will be a new beginning, undoubtedly. Arafat was, for 40 years, the head of the Palestinians. He left his imprints and impact both upon the Palestinians and a positive peace process. He has had ups and downs, occasionally more downs, particularly when he turned to violence. He has shown courage at Oslo, but for a limited period of time.
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WHITFIELD: Mixed points of view, but very hopeful points of view coming from the foreign minister, Israel's foreign minister, Shimon Peres, who shared that Nobel Peace Prize that was awarded to Yasser Arafat back in 1994 because of their Oslo Accord agreements back in 1993.
Well, it is a place Yasser Arafat knew well, Ramallah in the West Bank. Now it will be his resting place. A live report straight ahead.
Also ahead, changes in Palestinian politics. Ron Brownstein of the "L.A. Times" is my guest next to talk about the impact of Arafat's death on the almost forgotten peace process.
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