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CNN Live At Daybreak

Conflict in the Middle East: Renewed Violence in Jerusalem; Sharp Remarks From Sharon

Aired October 05, 2001 - 08:16   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: There is more bloodshed to talk about this morning from the Middle East. It comes as the U.S. seeks to win Arab support for its war on terrorism, but that effort is making Israel very uneasy.

CNN's Mike Hanna has that side of the story from Jerusalem -- good morning, Mike.

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Well, ongoing violence on the ground here. In the latest incident, Israeli forces have moved into Palestinian-controlled areas on the outskirts of the divided West Bank city of Hebron. Israeli tanks have taken up positions overlooking the Jewish area of that city.

The Israeli defense force says that this action in response to repeated attacks by Palestinian gunmen on residents -- Jewish residents of Hebron and on visitors who are visiting the city during the so-called holiday period.

This signals an end to a cease-fire, which has purportedly been in place for the past eight days. And it signals, too, virtual Israeli rejection of U.S. pleas for Israelis and Palestinians to create a cease-fire, get back to the negotiating table. There has been immense pressure from the U.S. on both sides to achieve this end. However, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, in an unprecedented attack on the United States, made quite clear that he resists this pressure, comparing the current U.S. policy to the appeasement of Nazi Germany before the second World War.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I call on the western democracies, and primarily the leader of the free world, the United States, do not repeat the dreadful mistake of 1938 when enlightened European democracies decided to sectify (ph) Czechoslovakia for a convenient, temporary solution. Do not try to appease the Arabs on our expense. This is unacceptable to us. Israel will not be Czechoslovakia.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HANNA: Mr. Sharon has said that Israel, in his words, will now go it alone. He's come under a lot of criticism in the Israeli media. One, a respected Israeli commentator, saying that not only has Ariel Sharon shrugged off a cease-fire with the Palestinians, he's also declared political war on the United States -- Paula.

ZAHN: So, Mike, with the cease-fire broken and with those very pointed comments coming from the prime minister, what do people think -- expect to happen to next?

HANNA: Well, there's a great degree of uncertainty from the Palestinian point of view. Mr. Sharon has signaled very clearly that his self-declared policy of restraint, as he called it, is over. He's made quite clear that he is going to take whatever action necessary, he says, to protect Israelis from Palestinian attacks.

To the Israeli public, though, there is a great degree of uncertainty. The U.S. has always been a great friend and ally of Israel -- support that it's repeatedly expressed throughout the past 12 months of incessant conflict.

But this is the first time that an Israeli leader has come out in open criticism of the United States. Israelis confronting the possibility of being alone -- of being cut off from U.S. support. It's a long way away from that at this stage, but one does remember with the Gulf War some 10 years ago, Israel was left on the sidelines then. Ariel Sharon has made absolutely clear he has no intention of Israel being on the sidelines now -- Paula.

ZAHN: Mike Hanna, thanks so much for that update. We will continue to check in with you throughout the day.

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