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CNN Live Saturday
U.N. Security Council Resolution Passes Unanimously; Both Israel and Lebanon Indicate They Will Accept the Resolution; Christiane Amanpour Goes Inside the Infatuation With Osama Bin Laden
Aired August 12, 2006 - 14:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Half past the hour. Here's what's happening right now. Fighting in the Middle East goes on this hour despite a UN resolution aimed at stopping the conflict today is the 32nd day of fighting. Israeli forces are hitting Hezbollah targets on the ground and from the air today and Hezbollah has fired more rockets into northern Israel.
Authorities in Britain are forging ahead with their investigation in the alleged plot on the jetliners heading to the United States. Police in several areas including in London have raided Internet cafes in their search for clues. Twenty-three suspects are now in custody in Britain.
Reuters reports Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will visit ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro tonight. Castro celebrates his 80th birthday tomorrow. A Cuban newspaper says Castro is recovering from his recent surgery, walking and resuming some of his official duties.
Now here is the very latest on the Middle East crisis. Israel confirms that its troops have been moving further into Lebanon today. Pushing north to the Litani River. Seven Israeli soldiers were killed during today's sighting. One day after the UN Security Council approved a resolution aimed at ending the conflict, the Lebanese Cabinet is meeting to discuss it.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah went on television again today. He says his the two Hezbollah members of the Lebanese Cabinet will vote to accept the UN peace resolution.
UN resolution 1701 that is. You will be hearing a lot about it in the next few days as it relates to a possible end to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. One thing Lebanese and Israeli officials can agree on, both have issues with the resolution's current wording.
And the devil, as they say, is in the details. Dore Gold is a former Israeli ambassador to the UN. Ambassador, from the Israeli perspective. Good to see you.
Hopefully you had a chance to hear the senior adviser to the Lebanese prime minister who alluded to the fact that 2,000 peacekeepers are likely to begin flooding the southern Lebanese area within the next few days. Does that mean that that comes with Israel agreeing to a withdrawal in the same amount of days?
DORE GOLD, FORMER ISRAELI AMBASSADOR: Well, obviously the withdrawal of Israeli forces can only begin when we really see the peacekeepers move into this area. As well as the Lebanese army. But we really don't know what the picture on the ground will look like when the cease-fire enters into force.
What is critical for Israel is that these Katyusha rockets that have been hammering northern Israel, where we have maybe a million and a half people living in either bomb shelters or as refugees, that has to end. And we have to be certain those rockets are out of range of northern Israel.
WHITFIELD: So, Ambassador Gold, doesn't it seem like a huge contradiction if the UN has agreed unanimously last night and voted upon the cease-fire deal. Lebanon is now saying it's likely they are going to approve -- the Lebanese Cabinet. They are going to approve of the measures. The Israeli Cabinet is to meet tomorrow and likely to approve, so why doesn't everyone just stop the fighting right now as opposed to setting a date in the coming days upon the approval? Officially of the Cabinet?
GOLD: Well you know, this is not just Israel and Lebanon alone. What we are talking about is a much more complicated situation. Unfortunately because of Lebanese internal weakness, Hezbollah has developed a state within a state backed by Iran and assisted by Syria.
And they are ones who have been launching this war. The Hezbollah. Now Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah gives indications that he will tell his ministers in the government to support this truce. But he is hinting that maintaining a war against Israeli forces all along. We do not want to be in a situation where we are told we are in a truce. And yet, whenever Nasrallah wants, he can launch his Katyusha rockets into northern Israel and endanger the lives of Israeli civilians.
WHITFIELD: But if he's already saying that those two ministers that you speak of who are on the Lebanese Cabinet are, because he's giving them the green light, going to agree on it, why not give that a chance as opposed to anticipating that no one is going to live up to the promise?
GOLD: Well you have to understand, we are not dealing with Norway and Sweden. We are dealing with Hezbollah. Which is recognized as an international terrorist organization. Richard Armitage, the number two man to secretary of state Colin Powell said that if al Qaeda is the number two terrorist organization, Hezbollah is the number one terrorist organization.
We are talking about a very dangerous group of people who have by the way killed peacekeeping forces in the past. So we have to make certain that there is clear control over what Hezbollah is doing. And that Hezbollah is no longer endangering our civilians. I think that's what we are trying to ascertain right now in the next 24 hours before we come to a complete cessation of our self-defense operations.
WHITFIELD: Well there's some interesting factors here because you have heard, and we have heard the Israeli reports as well as reports coming from Reuters which is saying that Israel is already setting a 7:00 a.m. Monday time in which Israeli troops cease the fighting. All that, given the fact that the push, the offensive push and the ground forces continue to push northward in southern Lebanon toward the Litani River, explain to me how this works.
GOLD: Well all indications are is that Nasrallah and with his Iranian backers, wants to draw Israel into a war of attrition. So while the UN forces along with Lebanese army are deploying along our border, he wants to continue using this rocket war as a way of improving his position both internally in Lebanon and in the whole Arab world in general.
We want to deny him that option. Therefore it is critical that as much of the territory that he has used as a launching pad for firing as Israeli civilians be neutralized. And then we turn over to the Lebanese army. And to the international forces a cleaned-out area. Otherwise, they are going to have to do the heavy lifting. And we have seen Hezbollah attack multinational peacekeeping forces in Beirut in 1983. Both the French and the American forces.
WHITFIELD: Former Israeli ambassador to the UN Dore Gold, thanks so much for your time.
GOLD: My pleasure.
WHITFIELD: The Israeli military moves deeper into southern Lebanon today. As I've been mentioning and asking Mr. Gold about pressing its fight against Hezbollah militants. The drive came as Hezbollah fired more than 100 rockets into northern Israel. CNN's John Roberts is in the town of Kiryat Shmona along the Israeli- Lebanese border.
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JOHN ROBERTS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Israeli armor rolls toward the border. Part of a bigger push into Lebanon with the order now given by Israeli political leaders to expand the ground war.
Whether through force or diplomacy, Israel is determined to remove the threat from Hezbollah firing Katyusha rockets at towns and villages. More than 120 fell today. Many of them on the border town of Kiryat Shmona. We spent part of the afternoon with the fire department there chasing down Katyushas as they rained down almost constantly.
(on camera): We have been waiting at this fire station for about a half an hour now. The firefighters say they had some intelligence that Hezbollah was going to fire Katyusha rockets at about 2:00.
It is now five minutes of two and the air raid sirens have just gone off.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Hezbollah is sitting on the border and they make war with us.
ROBERTS (voice-over): The firefighters wait for the first volley to come in. Within moments, it's time to go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two Katyushas come to Kiryat Shmona.
ROBERTS: Two Katyushas coming in?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
ROBERTS: With reports of a house on fire, they race to their truck. Speeding through the streets under continual threat of another attack. They arrive at the scene to find smoke billowing from the home.
(on camera): This latest volley of Hezbollah Katyusha rockets shows just how random they are. The first one landed harmlessly in a field. The second one made a direct hit on this house at the edge of a neighborhood. As you can see, it's literally torn the entire backside of the house apart.
(voice-over): There were no injuries here, no one was home. Kiryat Shmona is almost a ghost town. And no wonder, the firefighters had not even cleared the scene when the air raid sirens wailed again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very, very, very dangerous. All the people are running from Kiryat Shmona.
ROBERTS: And running from the rockets. There's a shelter here. Let's get in.
Another air raid siren drives us from our vehicle. Forcing us to shelter in a hardened bunker nearby.
(on camera): We were just leaving Kiryat Shmona when the air raid siren went off again. So we thought that it would be best to take cover. In this area so many rockets have come in it's just not worth taking a chance. They can land literally anywhere.
(voice-over): And it wasn't just us seeking cover. Moments later, the fire captain ducked inside. From the bunker, we could hear the sounds of Katyushas hitting home.
The Israelis fire back with rockets of their own. Then the air raid siren sounds again. Four times in a half hour. It's just another typical day for these emergency workers. Dodging rockets, dousing fires.
It is stressful work, and it shows in the anger firefighters have for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hezbollah is very stupid man because he makes war about nothing. Nothing.
ROBERTS (on camera): Israel's prime minister has recommended his government approve the UN resolution. But that won't happen until the next Cabinet meeting on Sunday. So the Israeli army has at least until then to hit as many Hezbollah rocket sites as possible. But the campaign to eliminate those Katyusha launch sites has been so ineffective, it's not clear what that extra time will give them. John Roberts, CNN, along the Israel-Lebanon border.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: How confident is President Bush that a cease-fire will take place and hold? A live report from Crawford, Texas coming up.
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WHITFIELD: The White House is weighing in on the latest diplomatic moves in the Middle East. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is with us now from Crawford, Texas.
Suzanne?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, Mr. Bush today of course trying to push forward and use the weight of his presidency to move for Lebanese as well as Israeli officials to sign onto that UN Security Council resolution. Really a critical time for all parties involved.
President Bush this morning released a statement saying that he wanted the international community really to not only express words but deeds behind those words in bringing about peace in the region. He also reached out specifically to the Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora making a phone call from his Crawford ranch about 8:15 in the morning Eastern Standard Time.
The two leaders speaking very briefly about eight minutes. But very important coming on a critical time. The Lebanese Cabinet of course looking at that UN Security Council resolution. U.S. officials getting us a read-out of the conversation saying that president Bush emphasized the need to dismantle Hezbollah's state within a state in order to build Lebanese democracy. That he also expressed his view that Iran and Syria were arming Hezbollah in order to exert unwanted influence over Lebanon.
Now also Fred, you should note that the last time these two leaders spoke, it was right after the G-8 summit that when those leaders issued their own communique calling for an end to the violence. And then it was just yesterday, very important development, President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, both of them talking over the phone as well. It was Olmert who reached out to President Bush. But make no mistake, these two leaders have not spoken since the very beginning when this conflict erupted some 30- something days ago. And it was very deliberate. The U.S. wanted to send a signal that yes, they were supporting Israel's right to defend itself. But at the same time, did not want to give the appearance that they were colluding with Israeli officials on their military actions.
But at that time both leaders felt it was very important that they speak to one another and that time had come just yesterday. Again, Fred, this weekend, high level high stakes diplomacy involving President Bush urging all parties to get involved. All parties to sign onto that UN Security Council resolution and to put an end to the violence in the days to come. Fred?
WHITFIELD: All right Suzanne Malveaux thanks so much from Crawford, Texas.
Next, you'll hear from a woman who swears allegiance to Osama bin Laden. Find out why.
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WHITFIELD: Osama bin Laden still on the run. What attracts following to the al Qaeda leader? Why are they willing to die for him? Malika el Aroud said she loves bin Laden for the same reasons that inspire his other following around the world. What she calls his unquestioned piety and his choice of faith over fortune. And she says because bin Laden stands up to the United States. CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour reports on this.
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CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Malika el Aroud, a devout Muslim who had emigrated from Morocco as a child was living in Belgium when she first saw Osama bin Laden on television. His image mesmerized her and her husband, Abu Satir Damand.
MALIKA EL AROUD, WIDOW OF AL QAEDA MEMBER(through translator): He was watching. There was a fascination, a love. It was very clear, and I felt the same. Osama had a beauty in his face. It is a stunning face. When you hear his voice, it makes you want to stand up right away. Enlist, and join him.
OSAMA BIN LADEN, AL QAEDA LEADER: (Arabic)
EL AROUD: When you hear his voice it makes you want to stand up right away and leave and join him.
AMANPOUR: And that's what her husband did when he traveled to Afghanistan in 2000. Malika el Aroud followed the next year.
Life with bin Laden meant living without.
EL AROUD: There were windows without glass. Just a big hole in the wall. And the middle of winter, there were no bathroom, no kitchen. We really thought we had gone back to the Middle Ages.
AMANPOUR: Her husband, who had spent six months in al Qaeda training camps, was given a secret deadly assignment. One that would move bin Laden closer to his ultimate goal.
EL AROUD: He told me he would be home in 15 days.
AMANPOUR: That would be the last time she would ever see him. Then, the assassination of Ahmad Shah Masoud (ph) a friend of the U.S. and legendary leader of the Northern Alliance, a formidable Afghan militia. Two men claiming to be television reporters arranged an interview with Masoud. They were suicide bombers armed with explosives. One had them strapped to his body, the other, hidden in the camera.
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: There is no doubt bin Laden order the assassination of Masoud. He knew the 9/11 attacks would likely provoke some kind of American reaction and he need the Taliban to protect him. So what he gave them was the one thing they desired most which was Masoud's head on a plate.
AMANPOUR: The explosion killed Masoud. It also killed one of the two attackers. The cameraman. The other assassin was executed by Masoud's men. He was Abdel Satar Darman (ph), Malika el Aroud's husband, this had been his secret mission, and she was very proud.
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WHITFIELD: Malika el Aroud told us that she was told after her husband's death she received a letter from Osama bin Laden along with that letter, money to pay off her husband's debts.
To learn more about the al Qaeda leader, watch a special CNN PRESENTS, "In the Footsteps of bin Laden. Our team traveled to four continents to learn about Osama bin Laden and his power and those who do his deadly bidding. Be sure to watch Wednesday night August 23rd at 9:00 Eastern only on CNN.
Coming up next, nothing is more dangerous than a fire at sea. We'll have the latest on a dramatic rescue attempt straight ahead.
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WHITFIELD: The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 40 people who were trapped on a ship after a fire broke out in the engine room. It happened on board the research vessel Odyssey off the Louisiana coast yesterday. The ship's crew sent in a distress call after failing to put out the blaze. Two of the crew had to be flown by helicopter to a hospital. The over 38 crew members on board were taken to shore on the Coast Guard cutter Pelican.
Up next, CNN PRESENTS, "We Were Warned." And ahead at 4:00 p.m. Eastern, helping the victims of war. Will reduced fighting speed up the efforts by aid groups in the Middle East region? I'll speak to a representative of Mercy Corps. A check of the day's headlines is coming up and then CNN PRESENTS.
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WHITFIELD: Hello. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here's what's happening right now. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah says he doesn't like parts of the UN resolution to end the fighting in Lebanon but he says Hezbollah will go along with it. Lebanon's Cabinet is expected to approve the resolution at its meeting today.
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