Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Bomber Riding a Motor Scooter in Tel Aviv Attacked a Group of People Near a Bus Station

Aired January 25, 2002 - 07:34   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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to continue with news out of Israel this morning. As Daryn told you, just a few hours ago, a bomber riding a motor scooter in Tel Aviv attacked a group of people near a bus station, injuring close to two dozen people, one seriously. The bomber was killed in the attack.

Now, CNN has learned in the wake of mounting violence in the region and a recent interception of a weapons shipment, the Bush administration is seriously considering severing ties with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld have both advised President Bush, according to senior U.S. officials, to suspend relations with the Palestinian Authority, while Secretary of State Colin Powell wants to stay engaged.

CNN's Jerusalem bureau chief Mike Hanna is standing by live with more -- Mike, what's the latest?

MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, good morning to you, Anderson, but not a good morning here, I'm afraid. Yet another spiraling occasion of violence in Tel Aviv, an explosion in a busy shopping center in the middle of the city near the old bus station has injured more than 20 people, two of them are reported to be in a serious condition. Most of the others have light injuries, according to hospital authorities. The only fatality, according to police, was the man they say detonated the explosive device. He was leaning against a motor scooter, when the explosion occurred, and police say he was a suicide bomber.

Well, overnight, a Palestinian militant was killed by Israeli forces. The car in which he was traveling was struck by a missile fired from an Israeli combat helicopter. The man was identified as a senior member of the armed wing of the militant Hamas organization. Two other Hamas members were also shot by Israeli forces overnight. Israel says they were attempting to get into a Jewish settlement in the area.

So violence continues, and a bad situation appears to be getting even worse -- Anderson.

COOPER: Mike, we just mentioned that the Bush administration may be -- and we say may be changing its policy towards Yasser Arafat. What are you hearing on the ground there? HANNA: Well, there has been much speculation that the Bush administration is reviewing its whole input into the region, and there have been very strong signals in recent days from the administration that it does hold the Palestinian Authority and Yasser Arafat primarily responsible for the ongoing violence in the area. The assassination of Palestinian militants in the past was met with immediate U.S. condemnation. This time, each incident has received no condemnation whatsoever.

The fact that Arafat is under virtual house arrest in Ramallah has now been supported by the U.S. administration, saying that it understands Israel's need to keep the Palestinian leader pinned down there. So there are signs from the Bush administration that it does hold the Palestinian Authority primarily accountable, and there has been speculation that it is going to alter the nature of its relationship with the P.A. Up until now, the Bush administration has insisted that the only people to do business with is the Palestinian Authority and Yasser Arafat, but it's very clear that this position is being intensely reviewed at the moment -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Mike Hanna, that's really interesting -- thanks very much this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.