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Mideast Bomb Spree
Aired May 19, 2003 - 13:02 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East, opponents of peace are at it again after the blast this afternoon in northern Israel. Terror attacks over the last three days have killed at least a dozen victims. In the process, they've made a new Palestinian leader appear weak, and they've dealt an early setback to the U.S. push for peace.
CNN's Kelly Wallace joins us on the line from the scene of that bombing.
Kelly, what's the latest from there?
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, we just arrived here in the town of Afula, outside the shopping mall of where this attack occurred. And right now, Israel emergency officials combing through the damage here. You can get a sense of how powerful the blast was, because the entire entrance has basically been blown away by this suicide bombing attack, which took place Monday afternoon around 5:30. A lot of people here at this mall.
And according to Israeli police, there was female security guard here checking any person that entered the building, and apparently was checking the suicide bomber, who is believed to be a man, when the person blew himself up. Three Israelis are killed, according to Israeli police, including the female suicide bomber, who many people say is responsible for preventing this from being much worse, 47 wounded, 18 at this point in time are in serious condition.
And this, Miles, as you said, the backdrop here. It is now the fifth suicide bombing in this area in 48 hours, one on the West Bank on Saturday, two in Jerusalem on Sunday, the deadliest, seven people killed in a bus bombing Sunday morning. Then earlier on this day Monday in the Gaza Strip, a man on a bicycle blew himself up near an Israeli military patrol, lightly wounding three Israeli soldiers.
Of course, the question is, where do things go from here? The Israeli government is basically saying that these group who are responsible for these attacks are -- quote -- "declaring war" on the new government of the Palestinian community, led by Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. This attack, we're told, the group Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility in a phone call to a news organization. The four other attacks, the group Hamas has claimed responsibility for those attacks.
As for where things go from here, Palestinians and the Israelis continue to say they're going to try to push forward and keep working on this so-called road map for Middle East peace. But obviously, the suicide bombing campaign being waged by these radical Palestinian groups who are against any political solution, any return to negotiations, and again, making a statement with this latest attack today here -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Kelly, those calls to press on as they march down that road map are all well and good, but clearly, there is a strong sense out there that whatever happens, they'll be thwarted by more bombings. Is it realistic to think of any progress at this juncture, or can they overcome this terrible violence as backdrop?
WALLACE: Miles, it will be a very difficult task. Because as you said, every time there has been a step forward in the peace process, it has been met with violence and a step back.
And so here, you heard U.S. President Bush saying today that the peace process must go forward, they must continue on. The Israelis say Prime Minister Sharon definitely still wants to continue talking and working with Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
The two sides, though, still don't see eye to eye on what should happen next. The Israelis say the Palestinians must first improve security and crack down on these radical groups before the Israelis can take any steps. The Palestinians say part of the problem here is the Israelis aren't accepting and implementing that road map, and pulling troops out of Palestinian towns, freezing settlements, doing things the Palestinians say would give Abbas a little more political strength to stand up to these radical Palestinian groups.
But again, a very, very difficult challenge ahead. The radical Palestinian groups are sort of making a statement here, saying they are very much against any return to negotiation and against the new government, led by Mahmoud Abbas.
O'BRIEN: And I guess even if the Israelis announce today that they were ceasing and desisting on all settlement activity, it's very likely these bombings will continue.
WALLACE: It is likely. Again, you know, these groups would say that if the -- what they call the Israeli occupation comes to an end, they would stop and there would be quiet. If Israeli troops pulled out of all Palestinian towns, there would be some quiet. But again, that all is a question mark. Miles, you know, the Israeli government has taken some steps in light of these attacks, including a total closure of Palestinian access into Israel from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. And some local police have been asking, how did this person potentially get from the West Bank here to Afula, which I should point out, is very, very close to this -- it's north of the West Bank. It is one of the closer cities to the West Bank town of Jenin. It has seen its share of terror attacks here and suicide bombings last year. Other shooting attacks over the previous months.
So some questions also about security measures in place and how this person, suicide bomber, was able to get here to Afula for this attack tonight -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Kelly Wallace, at the scene in Afula, thank you very much.
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 19, 2003 - 13:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East, opponents of peace are at it again after the blast this afternoon in northern Israel. Terror attacks over the last three days have killed at least a dozen victims. In the process, they've made a new Palestinian leader appear weak, and they've dealt an early setback to the U.S. push for peace.
CNN's Kelly Wallace joins us on the line from the scene of that bombing.
Kelly, what's the latest from there?
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, we just arrived here in the town of Afula, outside the shopping mall of where this attack occurred. And right now, Israel emergency officials combing through the damage here. You can get a sense of how powerful the blast was, because the entire entrance has basically been blown away by this suicide bombing attack, which took place Monday afternoon around 5:30. A lot of people here at this mall.
And according to Israeli police, there was female security guard here checking any person that entered the building, and apparently was checking the suicide bomber, who is believed to be a man, when the person blew himself up. Three Israelis are killed, according to Israeli police, including the female suicide bomber, who many people say is responsible for preventing this from being much worse, 47 wounded, 18 at this point in time are in serious condition.
And this, Miles, as you said, the backdrop here. It is now the fifth suicide bombing in this area in 48 hours, one on the West Bank on Saturday, two in Jerusalem on Sunday, the deadliest, seven people killed in a bus bombing Sunday morning. Then earlier on this day Monday in the Gaza Strip, a man on a bicycle blew himself up near an Israeli military patrol, lightly wounding three Israeli soldiers.
Of course, the question is, where do things go from here? The Israeli government is basically saying that these group who are responsible for these attacks are -- quote -- "declaring war" on the new government of the Palestinian community, led by Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. This attack, we're told, the group Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility in a phone call to a news organization. The four other attacks, the group Hamas has claimed responsibility for those attacks.
As for where things go from here, Palestinians and the Israelis continue to say they're going to try to push forward and keep working on this so-called road map for Middle East peace. But obviously, the suicide bombing campaign being waged by these radical Palestinian groups who are against any political solution, any return to negotiations, and again, making a statement with this latest attack today here -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Kelly, those calls to press on as they march down that road map are all well and good, but clearly, there is a strong sense out there that whatever happens, they'll be thwarted by more bombings. Is it realistic to think of any progress at this juncture, or can they overcome this terrible violence as backdrop?
WALLACE: Miles, it will be a very difficult task. Because as you said, every time there has been a step forward in the peace process, it has been met with violence and a step back.
And so here, you heard U.S. President Bush saying today that the peace process must go forward, they must continue on. The Israelis say Prime Minister Sharon definitely still wants to continue talking and working with Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
The two sides, though, still don't see eye to eye on what should happen next. The Israelis say the Palestinians must first improve security and crack down on these radical groups before the Israelis can take any steps. The Palestinians say part of the problem here is the Israelis aren't accepting and implementing that road map, and pulling troops out of Palestinian towns, freezing settlements, doing things the Palestinians say would give Abbas a little more political strength to stand up to these radical Palestinian groups.
But again, a very, very difficult challenge ahead. The radical Palestinian groups are sort of making a statement here, saying they are very much against any return to negotiation and against the new government, led by Mahmoud Abbas.
O'BRIEN: And I guess even if the Israelis announce today that they were ceasing and desisting on all settlement activity, it's very likely these bombings will continue.
WALLACE: It is likely. Again, you know, these groups would say that if the -- what they call the Israeli occupation comes to an end, they would stop and there would be quiet. If Israeli troops pulled out of all Palestinian towns, there would be some quiet. But again, that all is a question mark. Miles, you know, the Israeli government has taken some steps in light of these attacks, including a total closure of Palestinian access into Israel from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. And some local police have been asking, how did this person potentially get from the West Bank here to Afula, which I should point out, is very, very close to this -- it's north of the West Bank. It is one of the closer cities to the West Bank town of Jenin. It has seen its share of terror attacks here and suicide bombings last year. Other shooting attacks over the previous months.
So some questions also about security measures in place and how this person, suicide bomber, was able to get here to Afula for this attack tonight -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Kelly Wallace, at the scene in Afula, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
