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American Morning
Israel Beginning Counter-Offensive in Response to Suicide Bombing
Aired June 19, 2002 - 08:03 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are starting in Israel, which is beginning a counter-offensive in response to yesterday's suicide bombing. Tanks and soldiers moving into several West Bank towns today and Prime Minister Sharon announcing a new policy to start retaking Palestinian territory as long as the terror attacks continue.
Our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour joins us. She is live now with more in Jerusalem -- Christiane, hello.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, indeed, the Israeli government has declared a new policy in response to terrorism. It has said that it will go into Palestinian areas, notably on the West Bank, and it will stay there, essentially reoccupying and holding that land as long as terror continues.
Overnight, Israeli tanks and soldiers moved into Jenin and they are still there. They have also done other sort of hit and run raids, if you like, into other towns in the West Bank, going in, looking for people that they want and then coming out again. Apparently about a dozen so-called terror suspects have been rounded up since the overnight hours.
This in response to that devastating suicide bomb attack on a bus in the Jerusalem area yesterday in which 19 people were killed. A makeshift memorial has now been set up there with teddy bears to mark the death of children. Candles and prayers are being said. As I said, 19 people were killed and about 20 people were injured and are in hospital.
At the same time, the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, continues his tough stance against terrorism. He and the Israeli defense minister visited an area in the West Bank where construction is due to begin on this now notorious security fence. This is going to be an elaborate and very long structure that will involve barbed wire, concrete, roads for patrolling, sensors, ditches, all sorts of things that the Israelis hope will crack down on terror.
Both the Israelis and the Palestinians are waiting for what President Bush will say in a speech that he's due to deliver some time soon about his outline for a future Palestinian and Israeli peace solution perhaps involving a provisional Palestinian state.
As you know, the Israeli government, Ariel Sharon, has rejected categorically the notion of any kind of provisional Palestinian state. The Palestinians, though, have provided a two page document to the U.S., delivering it to the secretary of state, Colin Powell, in which they make significant concessions.
Palestinian Authority officials here confirmed to CNN that that document was handed over and that on key issues that caused the previous peace agreements to fail, they have made concessions, notably on the issue of refugees. They are no longer calling for the right of return for refugees, just a just and agreed solution to that problem. They are no longer calling for a formal military in any future Palestinian state, just a state with "limited arms." And on the issue of territory, they are calling for a return to the 1967 borders with minor agreed modifications. They reiterate their claim to East Jerusalem as a capital, West Jerusalem as the capital for Israel.
So this, according to the Palestinian officials we've talked to, is a major breakthrough for them, major concessions since the last round of talks, which was all but two years ago, those talks at Camp David and following on top of that failed.
Back to you, Daryn.
KAGAN: Christiane, one thing that was so terrifying about yesterday's suicide bombing, Jerusalem had been under 24 hour alert. Officials knew that something, or had a strong feeling that something was coming and yet this suicide bomber still was able to attack. I understand that the city is still under alert at this time.
AMANPOUR: Well, you know, this is a place where this happens a lot in terms of the alert and trying to remain vigilant. I mean ever since earlier this year when there was a high level of increased suicide bombings and then you remember Operation Defensive Shield, the Israeli pacification program in the West Bank. There have been many cities on alert. Even yesterday, other Israeli cities were on alert.
Many people say that no matter what the Israelis do, they can perhaps reduce the incidence of suicide bombings, but not completely stop them absent a peace process or some kind of political road map for the future.
KAGAN: Christiane Amanpour in Jerusalem.
Christiane, thank you so much.
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