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American Morning
Palestinian Authority Comes Down Hard on Protesters
Aired October 09, 2001 - 11:32 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The United States has been walking a diplomatic tight rope with Israel since the attacks on the U.S. four weeks ago. How to put together a coalition of moderate Arab nations without angering America's strongest ally in the Middle East -- Israel. In recent days, Palestinian leaders have fought to suppress anti-American protests with some deadly results. For more on Israel's role and the war on terrorism, let's go first live to CNN's Jerusalem bureau with its chief, Mike Hanna.
I know it's evening there, Mike. We haven't had much time to focus in on this, can you describe to the audience what happened with the Palestinian police that ended up killing two protesters?
MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was an unprecedented situation. There was a demonstration in Gaza organized by the extremist Hamas movement to protest against the U.S. led action in Afghanistan and in support of a Osama bin Laden. The Palestinian Authority reacted very quickly and very forcibly.
They declared the demonstration illegal. They disbursed it. Police using tear gas as well as live bullets. At least two Palestinians were killed by the police, well over a hundred injured. A number of arrests were made as well and certainly an unprecedented action by Palestinian security authorities against their own people. There have been numerous marches against Israel and against the United States, who many Palestinians believe, support Israel in the past 12 months.
But this was a first time that the Palestinian security authorities declared the march illegal and took very strong measures indeed to disburse it -- Paula.
ZAHN: So what is the signal its supposed to sending?
HANNA: The Palestinian Authority clearly wants to distance itself from any form of association with the Osama bin Laden. Right from the beginning of this crisis with the attacks on September 11, the Palestinian Authority, mindful of the fact that ten years ago during the Gulf War it took the wrong side, this time, in its eyes, took the right side.
It immediately condemned the attacks on the United States. It immediately said it would offer its full support to the U.S. in its worldwide struggle against terrorism. Ten years ago in the Gulf War, the Palestinians sided with Iraq in their conflict with the U.S. led forces.
So this time it was different. The Palestinians made quite clear that they were behind the U.S. and that they wanted to be involved in any international coalition against terrorism, Paula.
ZAHN: Mike, we have talked about this before, but some Israelis have been quite critical of Yasser Arafat for not being able to control Palestinian authorities, police and obviously the sectors of the Islamic jihad, among others. Are they encouraged by, not by the loss of life, that's not what I'm suggesting, but are they encouraged as what they conceive as Yasser Arafat having more control over his authorities?
HANNA: Well what they were encouraged by was the fact that Yasser Arafat's security forces actually did take some action against extremists. In fact, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had some rare words of praise for Yasser Arafat. He said he congratulates Yasser Arafat on taking that action against extremist militants who are demonstrating.
Israel of course has been calling on the Palestinian Authority to take strong action against extremists from Hamas and Islamic jihad, who have claimed responsibility for a number of attacks against Israeli civilians and Israel has said repeatedly that the Palestinian Authority is not controlling those militant elements. In fact, it is encouraging them to carry on attacks against Israel.
From September 26, the Palestinian Authority has committed itself to a cease fire. It has called on all attacks against Israeli civilians to come to an end. The fact that Yasser Arafat took action against militants in the streets of Gaza yesterday, it is quite possible that should there be ongoing attacks against Israeli civilians by these militant elements, Yasser Arafat could well take action against these militants to prevent these attacks to protect the cease fire. If this is the case, then certainly it'll be very strongly welcomed in Israel -- Paula.
ZAHN: All right, thanks so much. Mike Hanna, we appreciate your joining us.
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