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American Morning
Another Suicide Bombing in West Bank
Aired March 07, 2002 - 09:09 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: And just moments ago, late word of yet another suicide bombing.
Let's get the details from CNN's Mike Hanna who joins us from Jerusalem.
Mike, good morning. What's happened there?
MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
It's been a day of ongoing violence yet again, at least 10 Palestinian have been killed in a massive series of Israeli strikes in the West Bank and in Gaza. And as you say, within the last few minutes, reports of an explosion in the Jewish settlement of Aerial (ph) in the West Bank. There are reports, sketchy at the moment, but it does appear that a man with an explosive device strapped to his body detonated it in Aerial. At this stage, no fatalities are reported. The man who was carrying the explosives has been seriously injured, it appears. Two other people were seriously injured, and the other three -- or other two at this stage received what are described as moderate to light injuries.
The criticism from Colin Powell of Israel, well that's rare criticism in recent months. Israel doesn't appear to be two-phased, though. The reaction from the Israeli prime minister's office was that it is not Israel that has declared war on Palestinians, rather Israel is responding to a war declared on it. The statement says that Israel will continue to do whatever it believes is necessary to protect the security of Israeli citizens, even if that involves the ongoing operations which Ariel Sharon has made clear he believes is the only solution to this ongoing crisis.
From the Palestinian side, though, great enthusiasm about Colin Powell's remarks. Palestinian leaders have said that the U.S. comments about Israeli action is welcomed, and Palestinians, too, have interpreted this as a sign, perhaps, that the U.S. will take a greater and more active role in intervening in the ongoing crisis.
The U.S. has kept arm's length in recent months, since it dispatched special envoy Anthony Zinni to the region at the beginning of January. That mission failed, and the U.S. is indicated, that it doesn't believe there's any point of sending an envoy back until the violence begins to diminish. Well, the violence hasn't diminished. It has, in fact, escalated. The questions now from the Palestinian side as to whether General Powell's comments indicate perhaps a change in U.S. policy -- Paula.
ZAHN: Mike, even as you were speaking, we just have been able to confirm the suicide bomber into that West Bank town did end up killing himself and apparently what he was trying to pull off. No word on any casualties by the residents who live there.
Mike, I know you say there's the expectation or the hope on the Palestinian part the U.S. Government might become more involved. In the absence of that, what do both sides expect to happen in the weeks to come?
HANNA: Well, there's no great sort of confusion about that, Paula. The Israelis have made absolutely clear the Sharon government has made clear that's what's next to come is more of the same, but more intensified of the same. Sharon has made absolutely clear, he believes now that the only solution or the only way to get to a negotiation process is to better the Palestinians into submission. He has said that the Palestinians will have to be hit hard before they can be persuaded that the use of terror as a tactic will not lead them to negotiating table.
On the Palestinian side, the fear that Sharon will do exactly what he says. The Palestinians have been arguing that it's only through negotiations that the violence can be brought to an end. The Israelis continue to say that there can be no negotiations until the violence ends.
Sharon now says he will end the Palestinian violence through extreme military action of his own. So the situation does appear immensely bleak. This is why the Palestinians have been looking to some kind of third party to intervene in this crisis, Palestinians believing Sharon is not capable of taking his foot off the accelerator of its huge military force on his own. He needs prodding from somewhere else.
Sharon made absolutely clear he believes that he is doing what is right for Israel -- Paula.
ZAHN: All right, Mike Hanna, thank you very much for that update.
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