Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Palestinian Officials Announce Arrests in Killing of Israel's Tourism Minister

Aired February 21, 2002 - 09:10   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.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Let's turn once again now to the Middle East. Palestinian officials this morning announced the arrests of three suspects in the killing of Israel's tourism minister. Israel, as you know, has been pressuring for the Palestinian to make these arrests for months, ever since that assassination happened.

CNN Jerusalem bureau chief Mike Hanna joins us now with a live report on how the arrest were facilitated, and also perhaps a preview of the speech that's on the table for a little later today, Ariel Sharon making an address about the escalating violence.

Mike, nice to have you with us. Good morning.

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Jack.

Well, these arrests have taken place against a background of ongoing violence, as Israel continues and, in fact, intensifies its military operations in a large number of areas from the southern Gaza city of Raffa to Gaza City itself in the West Bank and Nablus, Janine (ph), Ramallah, all targets of Israeli attacks as it becomes clear that Israel is now conducting a prolonged campaign against what it sees as a guerrilla war launched by the Palestinian Authority.

While in the midst of this, Yasser Arafat has announced the arrests of three people who are allegedly responsible for the assassination of an Israeli government minister last year. Now it was that assassination that prompted the Sharon government to hold Arafat under virtue house arrest in Ramallah, saying that until the killers of Rhekaban Theadeah (ph), tourism minister were found, Arafat would not be allowed to leave Ramallah. Well, the arrests has now been made in the West Bank city of Nablus, but Israel is still skeptical. It says that these men have to put on trial, and it says that those behind those men who were responsible for the assassination must also be held accountable.

Ariel Sharon himself due to speak to the Israeli nation a matter of hours' time. There's been great criticism of the Israeli prime minister in percent days and weeks from the left and the right. The right saying he's not doing enough to end the Palestinian conflict. The left saying he's using military operation far too extensively, that he needs to seek the root of negotiation, complaints that Sharon has not made his direction clear. Well, in response to that, the prime minister is due to address the Israeli people within a few hours -- Jack.

CAFFERTY: All right, Mike, thank you.

Mike Hanna live in Jerusalem. He's the bureau chief there, Paula.

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