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CNN Live Today
Israel Responds to Suicide Bombing With Reoccupation
Aired June 19, 2002 - 11:01 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Up first this hour on CNN, Israel responds with reoccupation. The Israeli government says it will take control of Palestinian territories and it will hold the land "as long as long as terror continues," in the words of the government. This move is in response to yesterday's suicide bomb attack that killed 19 Israelis.
Our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour is live now. She checks in from Jerusalem with the latest details -- hello, Christiane.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Leon, indeed, the Israeli government has announced to what does amount to a major shift in policy, and that is moving into areas under Palestinian control in the West Bank and holding them, the Israelis say, until terror attacks and terrorism starts. They have already overnight moved into Jenin and into other cities.
They have not moved out of Jenin yet. But in other cities they have sort of moved in and out and arrested about a dozen people who they say are suspected on charges of terrorism.
In the meantime, today, the Israeli prime minister went to an area of the West Bank, along with the defense minister, where they are going to begin construction on this now notorious fence. This fence that the Israeli government hopes will if not completely halt suicide attacks, at least drastically reduce them.
There will be a very complicated and massive ambitious scheme of barbed wire and concrete. There will be roads, we are told, where they can patrol this fence. And there will be all sorts of ditches and sensor systems to try to boost security.
At the same time, in Jerusalem, several of the people who were killed in yesterday's devastating terrorist suicide attack were buried. There were 19 people killed, when a Hamas bomber boarded a bus and blew himself up. Something like 50 other people were injured; five of them remain in critical condition.
Both sides, both the Israelis and the Palestinians, are at this moment very mindful of the fact that the U.S. President, George Bush, is planning to give what amounts to a major address which may address the issue of a provisional Palestinian state. The Israeli government, Prime Minister Sharon, does not want a Palestinian state to be enunciated right now, other provisional or permanent. And the Palestinians are trying to figure out exactly what these means for them.
To that end, the Palestinian Authority has presented a two-page document to the United States. Senior Palestinian officials confirming to CNN that that document puts some concessions forward, Palestinian concessions, notably on the very tricky issue of refugees. They have dropped the language that calls for, quote, "the right of return," and they are now calling for a just and agreed settlement and solution to that problem.
Remember the right of refugees was one of the issues that caused the Camp David and later the Tabav (ph) peace process to collapse back in the year 2000. So both sides are looking to how they can potentially influence what President Bush might say in a speech he's due to deliver. And here we're watching and waiting to see when that speech will be delivered and just how both sides react to it -- Leon.
HARRIS: Well, Christiane, at this point, is it clear that the White House and President Bush has contacted Ariel Sharon to establish where the U.S. stands on this policy now of going back into these territories and actually reoccupying them? And, in a sense, undoing almost a decade of policy there.
AMANPOUR: Well, as you know, the Israeli government has been gradually ratcheting up its response to these terrorist attacks and moving the goal post. You remember a while back, maybe I think back in March, when they went first into the Palestinian territories in Operation Defensive Shield, that caused a huge international hubbub.
But, of course, since then, this has now become routine. And the U.S. government is saying that it recognizes Israel's right to defend itself. And, indeed, the White House spokesman today said that President Bush had no specific comment on this new policy shift. And even Israel is calling it a major policy shift.
So this is what is coming out. But Israel -- the government has successfully moved the goal post to what is acceptable internationally now, particularly in the United States. What would have caused a great hue and cry just a few months ago.
HARRIS: Christiane Amanpour reporting live for us from Jerusalem -- thank you, Christiane. Be safe over there. We'll talk with you down the road.
Let's go down to the White House and get the latest reaction from there, as well as a bit of a preview, if we can, on Mr. Bush's plans for this new Mideast addition that's supposed to be coming out any moment now; perhaps tomorrow.
White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us now live with the details -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Leon. The president is keeping up the very ambitious public schedule, I have to say, under better weather conditions. This just broke out moments ago.
Earlier in the rose garden he announced a $500 million pledge to help global efforts to fight AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean. But, of course, as you can imagine, behind the scenes, preparing to release that Middle East peace proposal. And, of course, also, a very delicate balancing act in reacting to Israel's latest move of going back into those regions in the West Bank, taking over and saying until the terrorists actually cease, that they will be there in those areas.
Today, White House Spokesperson Ari Fleischer saying on the one hand that they support Israel's actions. I'm quoting: "The president condemns the attack in the strongest terms, and the president understands that Israel is in the middle of recovery from a very serious terrorist attack. And the president believes Israel has the right to defend itself."
At the same time, Fleischer also reminding Israel of the consequences of its actions, saying that still the political path to peace must be kept open. Now in terms of the White House today, we know that President Bush is going to be meeting with some of his advisers on this issue, some of the things they have to decide. The timing of it, when would be the appropriate time to release this plan, and also the substance as well -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, Suzanne. Thank you very much. Hey, go take cover. It looks pretty miserable there right now.
MALVEAUX: Yes.
HARRIS: What a difference an hour makes. It was beautiful there a little while ago. All right, go get dry. We'll talk with you later on.
MALVEAUX: Sure.
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