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American Morning

Israelis and Palestinians Verbally Agree to CIA Director's Cease-Fire Plan

Aired June 13, 2001 - 09:30   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East there is word of more diplomatic progress toward ending the violence between Israel and the Palestinians. Both sides have now verbally accepted a plan proposed by CIA Director George Tenet, but both have serious reservations and scattered violence continues.

CNN's Jerrold Kessel reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, the CIA chief continues his energetic mission to consolidate the truce in the making. No immediate changes on the ground, though. Israeli tanks still presiding over Palestinian areas, shooting still at Jewish settlers on West Bank roads. One woman injured in the latest incident.

Dominating too, each side's lack of faith that the other will actually respect the commitments it's undertaking in terms of the Tenet plan, but we're seeing the doubts that it will work.

LIMOR LIVNAT, ISRAELI CABINET MINISTER: Arafat's response will be examined by the outcome -- by the result. He is supposed now to stop all the violence, and we will see in the next few days, next few hours, next few days, if he lives up to his promises or not.

YASSER ABED RABBO, PALESTINIAN CABINET MINISTER: This is a test for the Israeli government to show that they are really ready to start a new process if they freeze the settlement activities, if they put an end to the atrocities of the settlers and if they lift the siege and the collective punishment they have imposed upon our people.

KESSEL: President Bush called Mr. Tenet to congratulate him. Perhaps, say observers, most crucial to the success of these efforts, what the U.S. leadership does now.

CHEMI SHALEY, ISRAELI POLITICAL ANALYST: Whether George Tenet will tell them that this is a lost case despite the fact that he's signed some sort of cease-fire agreement and they will, therefore, desist and hold off or whether he will recommend that America continue its heavy involvement in the area, in which case, both sides will be interested in maintaining the cease-fire and then seeing where America diplomacy leads them. KESSEL: There'll be plenty of opposition on both sides. Even as the CIA chief and Yasser Arafat were wrapping up the late-night Palestinian agreement, demonstrations in nearby streets from various Palestinian groups opposed to ending their intifada.

ISMAIL ABU-SHANAB, HAMAS SPOKESMAN: We understand the enormous pressure against Arafat and the Palestinian Authority. This pressure is not solving the real problem. The real cause of the suffering of the Palestinians is the occupation, the settlers and the Israeli tanks on the Palestinian territories. Tenet is not dealing with the real cause of the problem.

KESSEL: On the Israeli side, Prime Minister Sharon, who has been conferring with his military commanders on the West Bank, has resisted insistence of Jewish settlers that he unleash Israel's full military might. Now, the frustrations of the Israeli right have grown.

YEHUDIT TAYAR, SETTLER SPOKESWOMAN: If it wasn't so serious it would be ludicrous that people actually pretend to believe when Arafat says there's going to be a cease-fire.

KESSEL (on camera): The Tenet working plan is designed to consolidate two previously independently declared cease-fires by Ariel Sharon and Yasser Arafat. If this attempt to create one agreed truce doesn't take hold, the risk -- the fear is that it could undermine, perhaps even collapse, those declared commitments to restraint.

Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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