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White House Reaction to Latest Suicide Bombing in Israel
Aired May 19, 2003 - 15:02 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.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you for joining us. Israel is calling it a tidal wave of homicide. Today, it hit the northern Israeli city of Afula. A suicide bomber struck a shopping mall killing three people and himself. Forty-seven others were wounded.
The Islamic Jihad reportedly has claimed responsibility for the fifth suicide attack in Israel in 48 hours. President Bush says that he remains confident that the peace process can move forward, but many others have serious doubts.
Let's bring in our White House correspondent, Chris Burns. Chris, given the fact that the Sharon trip has been put off, given these latest suicide bombings, just how confident is the White House in this road map for the Middle East?
CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, things would look fairly desperate at this point. Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, was supposed to be visit hearing tomorrow and he canceled -- or he put off that trip, to be more clear -- until things could be sorted out in Israel and the occupied territories regarding these latest terror attacks.
Militants dominating the agenda here at the White House today as the president meets with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is the president of the Philippines. Also dealing with her Muslim insurgency there. That being the backdrop for the president as he reacted to the situation in the Middle East.
Obviously, his road map is barely weeks old and is very much under fire and very much embattled at this point. The president insisting, however, that he does want to stay on track with that road map. However in his latest comments, he seems to be putting the onus on the Palestinians to rein in those militants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: People in the Palestinian Authority who care for peace must work with us to fight off terror. People in Israel who care for peace will work with us to fight terror. The countries in the region that long for a peace process must understand that what's more important than process is results, and that we've got to work together to cut off the funding and the support and activity of the terrorist killers who can't stand peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BURNS: The president said that they're still on the road to peace, but it's going to be a bumpy road. Now obviously all of this putting the onus on the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, who, the White House says, they would like to invite over eventually. But obviously, they want to see some results as far as what he might do about the militants first -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: Chris, separately from what's going on between the Israelis and the Palestinians, you have these bombings recently in Saudi Arabia over the weekend, in Morocco, reports that al Qaeda is regrouping. Is there concern at the White House that their claim that the tide on terror is turning may have been premature, that they really have got a bigger problem than they had predicted?
BURNS: Well, it's true that the president in his speeches over the last few weeks traveling around the country has been insisting that we're winning this war against terror, that it's not over. But he also mentioned repeatedly that half of al Qaeda has been wiped out or arrested, but the other half is very much alive and very much active, and that they need to work with the allies, including President arroyo here at the White House today, and other allies in this battle against terror to continue fighting that. But obviously, it's a very, very tough battle, and these latest attacks do indicate a lot needs to be done -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: All right. Chris Burns reporting for us from the White House today. Thank you, Chris.
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 - 15:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you for joining us. Israel is calling it a tidal wave of homicide. Today, it hit the northern Israeli city of Afula. A suicide bomber struck a shopping mall killing three people and himself. Forty-seven others were wounded.
The Islamic Jihad reportedly has claimed responsibility for the fifth suicide attack in Israel in 48 hours. President Bush says that he remains confident that the peace process can move forward, but many others have serious doubts.
Let's bring in our White House correspondent, Chris Burns. Chris, given the fact that the Sharon trip has been put off, given these latest suicide bombings, just how confident is the White House in this road map for the Middle East?
CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, things would look fairly desperate at this point. Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, was supposed to be visit hearing tomorrow and he canceled -- or he put off that trip, to be more clear -- until things could be sorted out in Israel and the occupied territories regarding these latest terror attacks.
Militants dominating the agenda here at the White House today as the president meets with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is the president of the Philippines. Also dealing with her Muslim insurgency there. That being the backdrop for the president as he reacted to the situation in the Middle East.
Obviously, his road map is barely weeks old and is very much under fire and very much embattled at this point. The president insisting, however, that he does want to stay on track with that road map. However in his latest comments, he seems to be putting the onus on the Palestinians to rein in those militants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: People in the Palestinian Authority who care for peace must work with us to fight off terror. People in Israel who care for peace will work with us to fight terror. The countries in the region that long for a peace process must understand that what's more important than process is results, and that we've got to work together to cut off the funding and the support and activity of the terrorist killers who can't stand peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BURNS: The president said that they're still on the road to peace, but it's going to be a bumpy road. Now obviously all of this putting the onus on the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, who, the White House says, they would like to invite over eventually. But obviously, they want to see some results as far as what he might do about the militants first -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: Chris, separately from what's going on between the Israelis and the Palestinians, you have these bombings recently in Saudi Arabia over the weekend, in Morocco, reports that al Qaeda is regrouping. Is there concern at the White House that their claim that the tide on terror is turning may have been premature, that they really have got a bigger problem than they had predicted?
BURNS: Well, it's true that the president in his speeches over the last few weeks traveling around the country has been insisting that we're winning this war against terror, that it's not over. But he also mentioned repeatedly that half of al Qaeda has been wiped out or arrested, but the other half is very much alive and very much active, and that they need to work with the allies, including President arroyo here at the White House today, and other allies in this battle against terror to continue fighting that. But obviously, it's a very, very tough battle, and these latest attacks do indicate a lot needs to be done -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: All right. Chris Burns reporting for us from the White House today. Thank you, Chris.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
