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American Morning

Israeli Prime Minister Sharon: 'War'

Aired April 01, 2002 - 08:02   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: Up front this morning, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declares war. Early today following yesterday's two suicide bombing attacks, a long column of Israeli tanks moved into Bethlehem, broadening the incursions into Palestinian territories in what Israel calls an effort to destroy the terrorist infrastructure.

CNN's Bill Hemmer joins us now from Jerusalem with the very latest -- good morning, Bill. What's going on?

BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Paula, hello. A lot going on throughout the entire region. Tanks on the move, as you mentioned, a short time ago. All this following a national address last night from the prime minister, Ariel Sharon, saying his country right now is in a fight for survival. He insists that the current war is not directed on the Palestinian people but rather on terrorist cells operating throughout the West Bank and in Gaza.

Ariel Sharon last night, his words in a short but strong statement to the Israeli people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The state of Israel is in a war, a war against terrorism. It's a war that has been imposed upon us. It's not one that we have chosen to undertake. It's a war for our home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Again, Ariel Sharon from last night. It was shortly after that speech, Paula, where we saw a number of tanks roll into the town of Qalqilya. This is a West Bank town. It sits right along the green line that separates the West Bank from Israel proper. Reports early on said dozens were rolling into town. Later, some eyewitnesses say as many as a hundred right now are present.

The water has been cut off. The electricity, too, has been cut off. This one of three areas throughout the West Bank where there is military movement again today.

Meanwhile, all this following five suicide bombings over a period of five days. And the most recent one yesterday in the coastal town of Haifa, and this one was absolutely devastating physically in terms of the toll there and also in terms of human life, 15 dead, including the suicide bomber. Hamas has claimed responsibility. And what really has outraged a number of people about this latest bombing is that the manager of this restaurant and the owner, he was an Arab. And the residents in that are who frequent that restaurant take a lot of pride in the fact that Israeli Arabs and Israeli Jews both were frequent customers of that restaurant in Haifa.

Meanwhile, I mentioned the military operation well under way in a number of parts of the West Bank. No telling right now, Paula, how long this operation will last. But the Israeli government insisting right now that it has to uproot, they say, in their words now, uproot the infrastructure of terrorism -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right, Bill Hemmer, thanks. We'll be checking in with you throughout the morning.

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