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American Morning
Conflict in the Middle East: Mitchell Report Out Today; Bush to Speak at Yale University
Aired May 21, 2001 - 09:00 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: We begin with the spiral of violence in the Middle East and the latest proposal to end the fighting. It's a report from a commission headed by former Senator George Mitchell. Its release comes as more clashes occur between Israel and the Palestinians.
We get details from CNN Jerusalem bureau chief Mike Hanna.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE HANNA, CNN CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): The Israeli attacks on Palestinian targets in Gaza show no sign of letting up. The Israeli army says mortars and bombs were being assembled in these buildings struck by helicopter missiles. The Palestinians deny this, insisting that on the site were a car mechanic's workshop, a marble factory, and a library. Pictures from the scene reveal a vast extent of damage. Twisted pieces of metal in the wreckage defy visual identification.
There was an Israeli attack, too, in the West Bank. The house of security chief Jibril Rijoub was struck by a tank shell. The Israeli army says the tank was responding to Palestinian gunfire emanating from the vicinity, a contention denied by Rijoub himself, who says there's a clear reason why Israel has stepped up its military operations in recent days.
JIBRIL RIJOUB, PALESTINIAN SECURITY CHIEF: It's a new escalation, and I think that its's a clear message to the international community that the Israeli government is insisting to use state terror against the Palestinian people.
HANNA: Israel contends it's responding to a number of terror attacks against civilian targets, culminating in a suicide bombing Friday, in which five Israelis were killed. The Israeli army says 28 such bomb attacks had been planned since the beginning of March, a figure as yet uncontested by Hamas militants, who've claimed responsibility for the many of the bombings.
The controversial deployment of F-16 fighters, says an Israeli analyst, must be seen in this light.
GERALD STEINBERG, BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY: Unfortunately, the Israeli government has had to escalate the violence, and what we saw was really a response to that terrible Palestinian terrorism. If there were another way out of it, I'm sure the government would find it.
HANNA: But Palestinians insist the ongoing Israeli military operations are part of new and aggressive tactic aimed at crushing Palestinian aspirations.
(on camera): A straw being clutched at on the diplomatic front is the report of the Mitchell Committee. The report makes several recommendations aimed at breaking the cycle of violence, but there's no indication whatsoever that either side would be prepared to implement these recommendations on the ground.
Mike Hanna, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The Bush administration hopes the Mitchell report will be a starting point for easing tensions between Israel and the Palestinians.
CNN White House correspondent Major Garrett joins us with more on the report and the expectations.
Hi -- Major.
MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kyra.
I must tell you that administration officials tell CNN expectations are low indeed for what Secretary of State Colin Powell will be able to achieve with the release of the Mitchell report. The secretary of state will use the report as a means for himself to become more personally involved in trying to bring the Israelis and the Palestinians together, to use that report in some of its recommendations, at least as a starting point for dialogue.
What are the recommendations of the Mitchell report? There are two key ones. Of course, one is an end to the cycle of violence between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Also, there is a recommendation that the Israeli government cease all new Jewish settlements in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli government has made clear it has no intention of doing that, and even if it did so, there are many voices in the Palestinian community who say that would not be enough.
The cycle of violence appears to be continuing unabated. The secretary of state hopes that his heightened level of personal involvement will, at least, apply some pressure on the Israelis and the Palestinians to reconsider the direction all of this is taking -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Major, on the note of the president, what is he up to? I understand he's going back to his old university. GARRETT: The president wakes up this morning in New Haven, Connecticut. He will deliver brief and, we are told, humorous remarks at a commencement address at Yale University, his alma mater. He has not been back there since 1968. The president's likely to poke fun at his academic achievements there, because they were quite modest: a history degree with average grades.
But the president has also kept Yale at the arm's length during his political career, preferring rather to emphasize his roots as a West Texas oilman, rather than an Eastern establishment political figure -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Major Garrett, thanks so much.
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