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CNN Live Saturday

Latest Round of Middle East Fighting Demands Bush's Attention

Aired March 30, 2002 - 22:10   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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, President Bush is spending the Easter weekend in Crawford, Texas. But the latest round of Middle East fighting demanded his attention and a statement.

CNN's Major Garrett also is in Texas and has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As much of the world protested Israel's attack on Yasser Arafat's headquarters, President Bush said Israel was acting in self-defense and blamed Arafat's siege on his refusal to curb Palestinian terror.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I can understand why the Israeli government takes the actions they take. Their country's under attack. Every day, there has been a suicide bombing. And every day, the government sees the loss of innocent life.

GARRETT: As the president spoke, stretchers ferried the wounded in Tel Aviv, casualties of the third suicide terrorist bomb in four days.

BUSH: I think that Chairman Arafat can do a lot more. I truly believe that. I believe he needs to stand up and condemn in Arabic these attacks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We condemn the killing of innocent Israeli civilians...

GARRETT: But U.S. support for Israel was not without limits. Earlier Saturday, the White House backed a Security Council resolution, calling for Israel to withdraw from Ramallah, but only after forcing the deletions of sections condemning Israel and setting a date certain for that withdrawal.

Eager to dispel any impression that his Easter vacation was occupying more of his time than the Middle East crisis, Mr. Bush called several world leaders Saturday, among them, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah. He then summoned reporters to this double wide trailer near his ranch, stunning aides who had only moments earlier said the president would spend a quiet day relaxing with family and friends.

In Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell called Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, urging calm. For his part, the president dismissed the need to speak as other world leaders have with Arafat himself.

BUSH: Mr. Arafat, he doesn't need a phone call from he. All he's got to do is watch what I just said.

GARRETT (on camera): White House critics say calls for Arafat to stop terror are meaningless while he is under siege. Top White House officials counter that cease-fire talks can't survive repeated suicide bomb attacks. And they add, somewhat icily, if Arafat has time for media interviews, he has time to condemn terror.

Major Garrett, CNN, Crawford, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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