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American Morning

Middle East Road Map 'Dead'

Aired September 03, 2003 - 07:06   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go to the Middle East now. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat tells CNN that the U.S.-backed peace plan is dead because of recent Israeli aggression. The statement is expected to increase the tension between Arafat and Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, who is threatening to quit unless he wins more authority from Arafat.
CNN's Michael Holmes joins us live from Jerusalem with the very latest on this.

Michael -- good morning.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.

Yes, we spent an hour or so with the Palestinian president last evening during his meal time. No cameras allowed, but we did have a lengthy conversation with him. And he did say indeed that the road map is dead because of Israeli aggression, military aggression, referring, of course, to the string of assassinations, or what Israel calls "targeted killings," on Hamas members in recent couple of weeks.

Now, he did make the point that it's not -- he says that it's not the Palestinians who are calling the road map dead and the road map is not dead full stop, but he says at the moment it is dead in the water because of these military strikes.

A clarification, if you like, from a Palestinian legislator, Saab Erakat (ph), just an hour or two ago. He said that the -- insisted that the Palestinian leadership is still committed to the road map despite what the president said. He said that it is Israeli actions that are keeping it dead in the water.

A reaction, too, just minutes ago from the Israeli side. A source in the prime minister's office said -- and I'll quote to you, Soledad -- "Arafat is the spoiler of the peace process and has become the main obstacle to realizing the road map and Palestinian aspirations."

Now, despite U.S. and Israeli attempts to sideline Yasser Arafat, I can tell you on the Palestinian street and in the Palestinian authority he still very much wields power, influence, pulls strings, and that's evidenced by this latest exchange of words.

The U.S. and Israel may want him on the sidelines. He's not on the sidelines. There's a meeting of the Palestinian legislative council to take place in Ramallah tomorrow. There, the prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, the man that the U.S. and Israel prefer to deal with, will report on his cabinet's 100 days -- last 100 days of achievements. There have been achievements, too, particularly in the areas of finance and the like.

But what everybody is watching for now is to see whether this rift between Mahmoud Abbas and Yasser Arafat over, in particular, the control of security forces will raise its head. There are reports that Mahmoud Abbas will say that he will resign if he is not given more powers. It's not an ultimatum, we are told by sources within his camp, but it is a statement saying that resignation of himself and his cabinet is on the table -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, CNN's Michael Holmes joining us from Jerusalem this morning. Michael, thanks.

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 September 3, 2003 - 07:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go to the Middle East now. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat tells CNN that the U.S.-backed peace plan is dead because of recent Israeli aggression. The statement is expected to increase the tension between Arafat and Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, who is threatening to quit unless he wins more authority from Arafat.
CNN's Michael Holmes joins us live from Jerusalem with the very latest on this.

Michael -- good morning.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.

Yes, we spent an hour or so with the Palestinian president last evening during his meal time. No cameras allowed, but we did have a lengthy conversation with him. And he did say indeed that the road map is dead because of Israeli aggression, military aggression, referring, of course, to the string of assassinations, or what Israel calls "targeted killings," on Hamas members in recent couple of weeks.

Now, he did make the point that it's not -- he says that it's not the Palestinians who are calling the road map dead and the road map is not dead full stop, but he says at the moment it is dead in the water because of these military strikes.

A clarification, if you like, from a Palestinian legislator, Saab Erakat (ph), just an hour or two ago. He said that the -- insisted that the Palestinian leadership is still committed to the road map despite what the president said. He said that it is Israeli actions that are keeping it dead in the water.

A reaction, too, just minutes ago from the Israeli side. A source in the prime minister's office said -- and I'll quote to you, Soledad -- "Arafat is the spoiler of the peace process and has become the main obstacle to realizing the road map and Palestinian aspirations."

Now, despite U.S. and Israeli attempts to sideline Yasser Arafat, I can tell you on the Palestinian street and in the Palestinian authority he still very much wields power, influence, pulls strings, and that's evidenced by this latest exchange of words.

The U.S. and Israel may want him on the sidelines. He's not on the sidelines. There's a meeting of the Palestinian legislative council to take place in Ramallah tomorrow. There, the prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, the man that the U.S. and Israel prefer to deal with, will report on his cabinet's 100 days -- last 100 days of achievements. There have been achievements, too, particularly in the areas of finance and the like.

But what everybody is watching for now is to see whether this rift between Mahmoud Abbas and Yasser Arafat over, in particular, the control of security forces will raise its head. There are reports that Mahmoud Abbas will say that he will resign if he is not given more powers. It's not an ultimatum, we are told by sources within his camp, but it is a statement saying that resignation of himself and his cabinet is on the table -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, CNN's Michael Holmes joining us from Jerusalem this morning. Michael, thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.