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American Morning

Israeli and Palestinian Official Speak Out About Current Conflict

Aired October 26, 2001 - 11:37   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Another critical element in all this, certainly deals with the middle east. We're watching that this morning as well.

Concerns now, that tensions there could destabilize the entire region. After intense pressure from the u.s., an Israeli cabinet minister says that Israel will start pulling out of certain Palestinian areas very soon. This perhaps signaling a -- an end to the week-long offensive that was sparked by the assassination last week of an Israeli cabinet minister.

But despite that promise, the fighting does continue. More word of more deaths today. Israeli and Palestinian officials talked about the ongoing conflict earlier this morning here on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANAN ASHRAWI, PALESTINIAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL: What we need really is a global effort. We need an American perspective, an American peace initiative, if you will, that will address the permanent status issues that will address putting an end to the occupation. Implementing U.N. resolutions, ending this tragic situation of human misery that's threatening to spiral out of control and to destabilize the whole region and, of course, to undermine American efforts and global efforts at -- combating terrorism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZALMAN SHOVAL, SHARON FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER: If the Palestinian authority, which is supposedly in control, that was what all these agreements were about. If they cannot or do not want to control terrorism and they may feel encouraged, they may think that because of the Afghanistan situation, bin Laden -- nobody is looking at them -- they are a side-show, they can go on hitting Israeli civilians and innocent people and kill them. Then it's really a long haul. That's the problem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: The U.S. is calling on both sides, the Israelis and the Palestinians, to come together and help revive the peace process. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com