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American Morning
Cease-Fire Efforts in Middle East
Aired June 16, 2003 - 07:09 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: To Israel and the West Bank. An Egyptian delegation is meeting with Palestinian militias today. They are trying to get Hamas and others to resume cease-fire talks.
A Hamas spokesman says that they will listen to what the delegation has to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISMAIL ABU SHANAB, HAMAS SPOKESMAN: Up to this moment, we give no answer. We are going to discuss the study and to give our answer at the proper time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Following these efforts to salvage the tattered road map for peace is our Wolf Blitzer. He is live in Jerusalem today.
Wolf -- just how difficult is it going to be to broker a cease- fire without the support of Hamas?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Without the support of Hamas it's going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, since they're the main enemy, if you will, right now in this war, this war against Israel. So, there's going to have to be some arm twisting, some convincing of the Hamas leadership to go ahead and stop the terrorism, which we saw here in Jerusalem last week, that bus bombing which killed 17 Israelis. It's doable.
I'm hearing, Daryn, from both sides right now, from Palestinian and Israeli sources, that these talks that the Egyptian intelligence officials are having in Gaza right now with Hamas and other militant groups, they seem to be moving in the right direction.
So, while I don't want to underestimate the enormity of the problems facing everyone, there seems to be some optimism now that there could be at least a temporary lull, a cease-fire of sorts, if you will.
KAGAN: On the other side of the fence, how is Israel's target killing policy affecting the negotiations?
BLITZER: Well, the Israelis are making it clear that if they get an intelligence indication of what they call a "ticking bomb" -- in other words, something is about to go down, a suicide bomber has left, he's got a belt on and he's going to try to get into a school or a supermarket or a bus -- the people who sent that suicide bomber, they certainly are going to be targeted and killed.
On the other hand, if there are none of these kinds of ticking bombs out there, eminent attacks, I think the Israelis are willing to give this cease-fire opportunity a chance to get off the ground. They would stop the targeted killings, the assassinations, if you will, for the time being, if the terrorism goes down. It's an enormously difficult challenge.
There is a special U.S. envoy now in the region, John Wolf. He's trying to do what he can do with CIA operatives whom he's brought along, and the Egyptians are involved. They have a shot right now. The next 48 hours, I have to tell you based on everything I've heard since getting here, are going to be critical.
KAGAN: Thank you, Wolf. Wolf will have the latest in Jerusalem live on his show. That's Noon Eastern, 9:00 a.m. Pacific.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired June 16, 2003 - 07:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: To Israel and the West Bank. An Egyptian delegation is meeting with Palestinian militias today. They are trying to get Hamas and others to resume cease-fire talks.
A Hamas spokesman says that they will listen to what the delegation has to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISMAIL ABU SHANAB, HAMAS SPOKESMAN: Up to this moment, we give no answer. We are going to discuss the study and to give our answer at the proper time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Following these efforts to salvage the tattered road map for peace is our Wolf Blitzer. He is live in Jerusalem today.
Wolf -- just how difficult is it going to be to broker a cease- fire without the support of Hamas?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Without the support of Hamas it's going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, since they're the main enemy, if you will, right now in this war, this war against Israel. So, there's going to have to be some arm twisting, some convincing of the Hamas leadership to go ahead and stop the terrorism, which we saw here in Jerusalem last week, that bus bombing which killed 17 Israelis. It's doable.
I'm hearing, Daryn, from both sides right now, from Palestinian and Israeli sources, that these talks that the Egyptian intelligence officials are having in Gaza right now with Hamas and other militant groups, they seem to be moving in the right direction.
So, while I don't want to underestimate the enormity of the problems facing everyone, there seems to be some optimism now that there could be at least a temporary lull, a cease-fire of sorts, if you will.
KAGAN: On the other side of the fence, how is Israel's target killing policy affecting the negotiations?
BLITZER: Well, the Israelis are making it clear that if they get an intelligence indication of what they call a "ticking bomb" -- in other words, something is about to go down, a suicide bomber has left, he's got a belt on and he's going to try to get into a school or a supermarket or a bus -- the people who sent that suicide bomber, they certainly are going to be targeted and killed.
On the other hand, if there are none of these kinds of ticking bombs out there, eminent attacks, I think the Israelis are willing to give this cease-fire opportunity a chance to get off the ground. They would stop the targeted killings, the assassinations, if you will, for the time being, if the terrorism goes down. It's an enormously difficult challenge.
There is a special U.S. envoy now in the region, John Wolf. He's trying to do what he can do with CIA operatives whom he's brought along, and the Egyptians are involved. They have a shot right now. The next 48 hours, I have to tell you based on everything I've heard since getting here, are going to be critical.
KAGAN: Thank you, Wolf. Wolf will have the latest in Jerusalem live on his show. That's Noon Eastern, 9:00 a.m. Pacific.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
