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Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erakat Resigns
Aired May 16, 2003 - 15:21 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.
KATE SNOW, CNN ANCHOR: One of the most high profile Palestinian leaders has resigned his post. Chief negotiator Saeb Erakat's decision comes as a surprise, and just a day before the scheduled summit between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. CNN's Kelly Wallace has more from Jerusalem on the Erakat resignation and the crucial weekend meeting.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What changed? After all, Saeb Erakat was all smiles Sunday during the U.S. secretary of state's meeting with the new Palestinian government. Erakat was tight-lipped, telling CNN his decision to resign was based on, "a lot of things."
Dismissing as, "nonsense" reports he was enraged that Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas plans to bring along two advisors, but not Erakat, to his landmark Saturday meeting with Israel's Ariel Sharon. But Palestinian observers think Erakat, a Yasser Arafat loyalist feels slighted.
MAHDI ABDUL HADI, PALESTINIAN ACA SOCIETY FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: I don't see this resignation as final. It's somebody defending his job description and wants to maintain his role within the system.
WALLACE: Taking center stage this weekend: Mahmoud Abbas and Ariel Sharon. The two men have met before, but this will be their first meeting in their roles as prime minister, and the first summit since the latest conflict began 31 months ago. It is significant the two sides are talking, but conservative Israeli analyst Gerald Steinberg agrees with what many Mideast observers are saying.
GERALD STEINBERG, ISRAELI ANALYST: Substantively, we can expect very little. Both leaders know that very little is going to come out of the process.
WALLACE: Both leaders will be armed with different agendas. Palestinian sources say Abbas will tell Sharon, until Israel accepts and implements the so-called Mideast road map, Palestinians should not be expected to carry out their side of the bargain, cracking down on radical Palestinian groups responsible for suicide attacks against Israel. Sharon will say to Abbas, Israeli sources say, that until the Palestinians take real action to, "dismantle and disarm groups like Hamas," Israel will not take other steps, such as pulling troops out of Palestinian towns. (on camera): One possible outcome from Saturday's session, both sides say, could be a meeting soon of Israeli and Palestinian security officials. Beyond that, though, both sides agree the next step will likely depend on what happens in Washington Tuesday. That's when Prime Minister Sharon sits down with U.S. President Bush.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 May 16, 2003 - 15:21 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KATE SNOW, CNN ANCHOR: One of the most high profile Palestinian leaders has resigned his post. Chief negotiator Saeb Erakat's decision comes as a surprise, and just a day before the scheduled summit between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. CNN's Kelly Wallace has more from Jerusalem on the Erakat resignation and the crucial weekend meeting.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What changed? After all, Saeb Erakat was all smiles Sunday during the U.S. secretary of state's meeting with the new Palestinian government. Erakat was tight-lipped, telling CNN his decision to resign was based on, "a lot of things."
Dismissing as, "nonsense" reports he was enraged that Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas plans to bring along two advisors, but not Erakat, to his landmark Saturday meeting with Israel's Ariel Sharon. But Palestinian observers think Erakat, a Yasser Arafat loyalist feels slighted.
MAHDI ABDUL HADI, PALESTINIAN ACA SOCIETY FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: I don't see this resignation as final. It's somebody defending his job description and wants to maintain his role within the system.
WALLACE: Taking center stage this weekend: Mahmoud Abbas and Ariel Sharon. The two men have met before, but this will be their first meeting in their roles as prime minister, and the first summit since the latest conflict began 31 months ago. It is significant the two sides are talking, but conservative Israeli analyst Gerald Steinberg agrees with what many Mideast observers are saying.
GERALD STEINBERG, ISRAELI ANALYST: Substantively, we can expect very little. Both leaders know that very little is going to come out of the process.
WALLACE: Both leaders will be armed with different agendas. Palestinian sources say Abbas will tell Sharon, until Israel accepts and implements the so-called Mideast road map, Palestinians should not be expected to carry out their side of the bargain, cracking down on radical Palestinian groups responsible for suicide attacks against Israel. Sharon will say to Abbas, Israeli sources say, that until the Palestinians take real action to, "dismantle and disarm groups like Hamas," Israel will not take other steps, such as pulling troops out of Palestinian towns. (on camera): One possible outcome from Saturday's session, both sides say, could be a meeting soon of Israeli and Palestinian security officials. Beyond that, though, both sides agree the next step will likely depend on what happens in Washington Tuesday. That's when Prime Minister Sharon sits down with U.S. President Bush.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
