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American Morning

Israeli Military Offensive Coming Shortly After Bush's Speech

Aired June 25, 2002 - 09:08   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli tanks moving to Hebron earlier today, the seventh West Bank City to be occupied now by Israeli forces. The military offensive coming shortly after President Bush's speech outlining his new vision for peace in the region. Want to get to Jerusalem, and Wolf Blitzer is standing by now. More reaction the day after the president's speech here.

Wolf, hello. Good afternoon to you.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Bill.

Israelis, just to be precise, are insisting their latest military offensive on the West Bank preceded the president's speech, and they also point out that nothing that the president said in his speech should discourage them from continuing what they see as these preemptive strikes against future terrorist actions, including this latest move into Hebron, a major city on the West Bank. Israeli tanks, armored personnel carriers going in there.

The Israelis say they have clear intelligence information that additional suicide bombings are planned, and as a result, they want to do whatever they can to prevent the suicide bombings, including this massive sweep through major towns on the West Bank.

Right now, the bottom line, though, is the Israelis were very pleased by what they heard from President Bush yesterday, especially his call for a new Palestinian leadership. That's precisely what the government of Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, has been calling for weeks now, a new leadership that does not include Yasser Arafat.

Now earlier today, just a little while ago, in fact, Yasser Arafat issued a statement, saying the president's speech was important, but at the same time, insisting it's up to Palestinians and only the Palestinians to determine who their leader should be. Clearly, he has no intention of stepping down right now. He does say, though, there will be new elections early next year, and the stage will be set for that.

A lot of posturing going on in the aftermath of the president's speech. Israelis and Palestinians, though, are in agreement that they're waiting to see what the U.S. does next, specifically, Bill, whether the Secretary of State Colin Powell comes back to this part of the world to meet not only with Israelis and Palestinians, but with also the moderate Arab relationship in Saudi Arabia, in Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, to see if the stage can be set for some sort of international peace conference that would give momentum to this new U.S. vision for some sort of lasting peace in this part of the world -- Bill.

HEMMER: So much a part of this, Wolf, as you well know, the military activity on the ground. If indeed it escalates, it could put all this stuff on the back burner. It was about this time yesterday, when Ariel Sharon came out and said there might be a strong military reaction that may take place in Gaza, largely immune back in the events of March and April.

Is there any movement right now, Wolf, that you have seen or been reported about movement toward that part?

BLITZER: Well, the Israelis have launched in the past several days some helicopter gunship attacks against targets in Gaza. One building that the Israeli claim was involved in building weapons, mortars and other military equipment. They want and launched that strike. There have been some incursions around the areas, at the border crossing between Gaza and Israel.

But right now, their doesn't appear to be any imminent military action in terms of going back into Gaza. One of the major reasons being that unlike the West Bank, there already is, in effect, a barrier, a big wall, a fence that separates Gaza from Israel. It's very hard for the Palestinians to cross into Israel to infiltrate. It's a lot easier from the West Bank. The Israelis only now beginning to build that kind of fence or wall that presumably could prevent infiltrations down the road. Gaza is a much more isolated area as far as the Israelis are concerned.

HEMMER: Thanks, Wolf. Wolf Blitzer again, reporting live from Jerusalem with an update on what's happening on the ground.

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