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American Morning

Six Die In Suicide Bombing in Netanya

Aired May 18, 2001 - 10:01   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: We will start, though, in the Middle East, on edge from its latest flash point of violence. At least seven people are dead now, nearly 100 injured after a bomber suicide mission ended at the entrance of an Israeli shopping mall. It happened in Netanya. That's about six miles from the West Bank.

CNN's Jerusalem bureau chief Mike Hanna has the latest for us, and a caution to you, you may find some parts of this story disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The grim aftermath of a deadly bomb attack, a blast outside a crowded shopping mall in the coastal city of Netanya kills a number of people and leaves dozens wounded. Among the dead in the explosion, say police, was an Arab man who detonated explosives attached to his body.

Eyewitnesses say the explosion occurred shortly after a security guard prevented the man from entering the shopping mall. This, the third bomb attack in Netanya this year. Police say the city is a prime target because of its proximity to the West Bank, lying six miles or some 10 kilometers from the green line. The Israeli government insists the Palestinian Authority must be held accountable for the attack.

AVI PAZNER, ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: This is a terrible, murderous attack, a result of the incitement, of the propaganda incitement of the Palestinian Authority, of the policy of Arafat, who liberated the Hamas terrorists, the jihad terrorists during all those months and encouraged them to hit Israel with that kind of vile, murderous and bloody attack like we suffered today.

SHIMON PERES, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER: It's a terrible attack. They're endangering every attempt to build a block of peace again. We have every day 15 or 20 acts of terror and this reduces very much the necessary trust for going back and negotiate with the responsible parties.

HANNA: At least six of those admitted to hospital are reported to be in a serious condition. Police say the tragedy could have been even greater if the suicide bomber had managed to enter the mall, which was crowded with shoppers.

News of the terror attack cheered at a Hamas rally in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Hamas has claimed responsibility for the killings, identifying the suicide bomber as a 20-year-old carpenter from the West Bank and threatening further bomb attacks.

(on camera): The Palestinian Authority has denied Israeli charges of its complicity, releasing a statement condemning the murder of innocent civilians. The Israeli government at present pondering what form its response to the attack will take.

Mike Hanna, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Mike. Within the last hour, President Bush voiced his concerns about the escalating violence in the Middle East.

CNN senior White House correspondent John King joins us now with the latest from the White House.

John, good morning.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Leon. The suicide bombing the latest in a cycle of frustration, if you will, for the new Bush administration.

Earlier this week, Secretary Colin Powell, the secretary of state, had met with a key deputy of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. U.S. officials voicing some hope that perhaps some progress on the diplomatic front would come from those discussions. But today another bombing, more violence, a suicide bombing, this time in the Middle East.

The president was briefed this morning by his national security team and then during an event in the Oval Office this morning, turned to reporters, condemned this latest bombing and also called on all the leaders in the region to do more to stop the violence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today, the violence in the Middle East took on a new level of intensity. Our country is deeply concerned first and foremost for those who lost their life and for the families affected. It is essential that the leaders in the Middle East speak out clearly against violence. We must break the cycle of violence in order to begin meaningful discussions about any kind of political settlement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The president's frustration quite evident there. This latest bombing, the new violence, comes at a time when many have been somewhat critical of this administration. Former special envoy to the region, Dennis Ross, saying earlier this week he believes the situation in the region has deteriorated so much there must be some dramatic new intervention by the United States. But it is the position of the Bush White House that before you can have any serious diplomatic initiative, leaders in the region, the Palestinians and the Israelis must themselves decide to step back and bring calm and stop the violence -- Leon.

HARRIS: Well, John, we know the president's going to be changing gears later on and resuming his mantel of salesman in chief today, pushing his energy plan. What's on the agenda for that today?

KING: The president traveling up to western Pennsylvania to visit a hydroelectric plant to once again put the face on some of the more environmentally friendly, at least in his view, portions of his energy plan, this part of a sales campaign.

Remember, when the president unveiled his big tax cut, he hit the road to sell it, a very similar strategy here. Why? The president needs votes in the Congress. There are some things he can do with the stroke of a pen, executive action. But most of the energy plan has to be enacted by the Congress.

Some quite controversial items, including new drilling for oil and natural gas on federal lands, environmentalists should stay off limits. So the president, as the debate in Congress heats up, trying to rally public support.

HARRIS: John King at the White House, thanks much. We will talk with you down the road.

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