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American Morning
Israelis and Palestinians Agree Verbally to Cease-Fire
Aired June 13, 2001 - 11:30 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East today, CIA Director George Tenet met with Israeli and Palestinian security officials to discuss a blueprint for ending eight months of violence. Israel and the Palestinians have given verbal approval to the plan, although both sides have expressed reservations.
Tenet says two sides now must take the steps to put the plan into action. A source says that those are expected to include a move by Israel to ease the closure of Palestinian territories, and action by the Palestinians against groups planning violence.
Joining us now from New York is a former Israeli ambassador to the U.S.. Zalman Shoval is now an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. We thank you very much for your time this morning, sir.
ZALMAN SHOVAL, SHARON ADVISER: Hi, Leon.
HARRIS: Can you tell us -- give our viewers an idea of exactly what has happened in the last few hours to ensure that there is some movement on this?
SHOVAL: I think first, it has to be said that George Tenet, the CIA director, did a magnificent job there. Everything depends now on whether the Palestinians will actually adhere to the agreement, which would be a first for Yasser Arafat, but we hope he will. Only yesterday, while we were talking, unfortunately, a Greek Orthodox monk was murdered on the way from Jerusalem.
The situation right now is that there is an agreement in principle. Prime Minister Sharon has agreed, although he had some reservations, but he said he accepts the plan, he accepts the work plan. The Palestinians are still trying to raise some reservations, but if everything work outs, there'll will be a 48-hour when everything gets in place, then there'll be a six-week period of calming the situation, and then if everything really sticks well and everything goes well, there will be a resumption of political talks, something which we hope for.
HARRIS: Can you tell what is supposed to happen in that 48-hour period that you mentioned is already under way?
SHOVAL: Well, on the Israeli side, we have already said we have a plan to pull back our tanks, our forces which were there in the first place only to respond to the terrorism, to violence. But the Palestinians have to absolutely stop the shootings, stop the bombs and so on and so forth. They have to rearrest, and this will take probably a bit more than 48 hours, the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists, put them back in jail. And there has to be an absolute quiet in order to create a sort of atmosphere to resume negotiations.
HARRIS: So, that is what you expect the Palestinians to do. But what is it that those of us who are on the outside watching, what is it that we are to see Israel do in this 48-hour period?
SHOVAL: Israel was in the situation of the victim of this whole violence, so what we have to do, and we have already said we will do, is to pull back those forces which there are in order to either to retaliate or to defend our villages and settlements,and individuals from terrorist attacks, but that is purely, I would say, a military step, and the military is prepared for that.
HARRIS: We have heard skepticism expressed on both sides about this agreement. With that atmosphere going in, how possible is actual cessation of hostilities in this particular area right now?
SHOVAL: Well, this is the big question, because, you may remember, that Yasser Arafat declared a cease-fire about eight or nine days ago, and of course, nothing happened on the ground. So, Israelis are a bit skeptical, but you know, Arafat maybe understands that he's not going to get any political dividends from continuing the violence, and I think that's what the American position was very clear on that. They made it very clear to him.
So maybe hopefully, he will now live up to that agreement, and, Israel of course, has no problem with that, because Israel wants to resume the political negotiations as soon as this is possible.
HARRIS: All right, Zalman Shovel, we thank you very much for your time and for your perspective. We appreciate it very much.
SHOVAL: Thank you.
HARRIS: We'll get the Palestinian perspective coming up. Next hour on "CNN LIVE TODAY," we will talk with the PLO's chief representative in the U.S. and get his response to what we have just heard.
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