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Israel Signs On to Road Map With Reservations
Aired May 23, 2003 - 13:09 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: Israel appears to be signing on to the road map for peace. The U.S. has been pressuring the Israelis to accept that peace plan, and today, Prime Minister Sharon seemed to do just that, albeit with reservations.
Now, here to help explain whether this is, indeed, a green light, CNN's Kelly Wallace in Jerusalem. What changed things for Mr. Sharon, Kelly?
KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, those conversations and that American pressure seemed to change things for the Israeli prime minister. We are told that American officials have been trying to convince the Israeli prime minister over the past few days to go ahead and accept this road map, especially as the Palestinians have been saying, they can't take action in terms of cracking down on these radical Palestinian groups until they see the Israelis accepting and implementing this peace plan.
Well, that led to the prime minister, late this afternoon, issuing a statement through his office, saying he is ready to accept the steps outlined in this peace plan, and we are told it is likely to be taken to his cabinet for a vote on Sunday. But the Israelis said they could only do this after the Americans put forward a statement in which they said they understand the Israelis have real concerns, and that these concerns will be fully and seriously addressed during implementation of this Middle East road map. It was just the guarantee, Israeli officials say, they needed to back the plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RA'ANAN GISSIN, SHARON SPOKESMAN: I think the statement that was issued by the United States government speaks for itself. There are real concerns. And they are shared, both by the Israeli government, as well as by the U.S. government. Mind you, we have not yet entered the gateway to the road map, because there is a preliminary stage that has to be accomplished, annunciated very clearly by President Bush, and that is steps taken to stop terrorism, to stop the incitement. We have to take those steps if we are to enter the gateway to the road map for peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: And in a formal statement issued on behalf of the new Palestinian government, led by the prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, the new government says it welcomes the U.S. statement. It also called the Israeli response encouraging, but the statement went on to say -- quote -- "the real test is not only in words, but also in deeds," because some Palestinians are expressing skepticism, questioning whether Israel will be prepared to take immediate steps, such as freezing settlement activity, and pulling troops out of Palestinian towns.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL TARAZI, PALESTINIAN LEGAL ADVISER: Many Palestinians point out that as it becomes closer and closer to an election year in the United States, that the level of pressure from the United States will decrease, and that is what Sharon's banking on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: But Israeli officials reject that. They say the prime minister is committed to this, and now Israeli officials say the onus is on Mahmoud Abbas to do what he can right now to rein in these radical Palestinian groups, as for what happens next, Miles, we are hearing the possibility of the two leaders meeting again some time soon, and perhaps paving the way for a three-way summit meeting involving U.S. President Bush, Prime Minister Sharon and Prime Minister Abbas -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you very much. CNN's Kelly Wallace in Jerusalem.
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 23, 2003 - 13:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Israel appears to be signing on to the road map for peace. The U.S. has been pressuring the Israelis to accept that peace plan, and today, Prime Minister Sharon seemed to do just that, albeit with reservations.
Now, here to help explain whether this is, indeed, a green light, CNN's Kelly Wallace in Jerusalem. What changed things for Mr. Sharon, Kelly?
KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, those conversations and that American pressure seemed to change things for the Israeli prime minister. We are told that American officials have been trying to convince the Israeli prime minister over the past few days to go ahead and accept this road map, especially as the Palestinians have been saying, they can't take action in terms of cracking down on these radical Palestinian groups until they see the Israelis accepting and implementing this peace plan.
Well, that led to the prime minister, late this afternoon, issuing a statement through his office, saying he is ready to accept the steps outlined in this peace plan, and we are told it is likely to be taken to his cabinet for a vote on Sunday. But the Israelis said they could only do this after the Americans put forward a statement in which they said they understand the Israelis have real concerns, and that these concerns will be fully and seriously addressed during implementation of this Middle East road map. It was just the guarantee, Israeli officials say, they needed to back the plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RA'ANAN GISSIN, SHARON SPOKESMAN: I think the statement that was issued by the United States government speaks for itself. There are real concerns. And they are shared, both by the Israeli government, as well as by the U.S. government. Mind you, we have not yet entered the gateway to the road map, because there is a preliminary stage that has to be accomplished, annunciated very clearly by President Bush, and that is steps taken to stop terrorism, to stop the incitement. We have to take those steps if we are to enter the gateway to the road map for peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: And in a formal statement issued on behalf of the new Palestinian government, led by the prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, the new government says it welcomes the U.S. statement. It also called the Israeli response encouraging, but the statement went on to say -- quote -- "the real test is not only in words, but also in deeds," because some Palestinians are expressing skepticism, questioning whether Israel will be prepared to take immediate steps, such as freezing settlement activity, and pulling troops out of Palestinian towns.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL TARAZI, PALESTINIAN LEGAL ADVISER: Many Palestinians point out that as it becomes closer and closer to an election year in the United States, that the level of pressure from the United States will decrease, and that is what Sharon's banking on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: But Israeli officials reject that. They say the prime minister is committed to this, and now Israeli officials say the onus is on Mahmoud Abbas to do what he can right now to rein in these radical Palestinian groups, as for what happens next, Miles, we are hearing the possibility of the two leaders meeting again some time soon, and perhaps paving the way for a three-way summit meeting involving U.S. President Bush, Prime Minister Sharon and Prime Minister Abbas -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you very much. CNN's Kelly Wallace in Jerusalem.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
