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American Morning
Israeli Cabinet Votes to Continue Construction of Security Fence
Aired October 01, 2003 - 07:34 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East, the Israeli cabinet voted today to continue construction of a security fence in the West Bank. The U.S. was opposed to this controversial move, which is likely to have a negative impact on the already troubled peace plan.
CNN's Jerrold Kessel is live near Qalqilyah in the West Bank -- Jerrold, tell us, how are the Palestinians reacting now to this decision?
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we haven't heard anything formally, but no doubt with a good deal of anger and dismay, because they say this will kill off any kind of hopes of getting back to the peace negotiations and they call it a land grab.
The Israelis, however, say it isn't about land, it's about security. They have built already 100 miles or so of this security fence, but that's been less controversial, Heidi, because that was mainly along the border that -- the Israeli border with the West Bank, slightly in the West Bank at places, but mainly along the border.
The reason this decision taken by the cabinet this morning over the objections of the hard-line ministers, is that it's controversial is that they are planning to have a whole four or five prongs of the security barrier deep into the West Bank to encompass some of the major Jewish settlements, including one major town near here, the town of Ariel (ph). And that has really brought about the objection of the United States, which says it shouldn't do that, Israel shouldn't do that.
The Israelis have tried to come up what they call a compromise. Whether it really is a compromise, something dubious. But what they say they will do is they will build the fences around those settlements and they won't, in the first instance, for the first year or so while they're building the rest of the fence, link it up, link those settlement fences up to the main security barrier more or less along the West Bank-Israel border.
But it's likely to draw a good deal of ire not only from the Palestinians, but a good deal of dissatisfaction in Washington -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Jerrold Kessel in the West Bank this morning.
Thanks so much, Jerrold. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Fence>
Aired October 1, 2003 - 07:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East, the Israeli cabinet voted today to continue construction of a security fence in the West Bank. The U.S. was opposed to this controversial move, which is likely to have a negative impact on the already troubled peace plan.
CNN's Jerrold Kessel is live near Qalqilyah in the West Bank -- Jerrold, tell us, how are the Palestinians reacting now to this decision?
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we haven't heard anything formally, but no doubt with a good deal of anger and dismay, because they say this will kill off any kind of hopes of getting back to the peace negotiations and they call it a land grab.
The Israelis, however, say it isn't about land, it's about security. They have built already 100 miles or so of this security fence, but that's been less controversial, Heidi, because that was mainly along the border that -- the Israeli border with the West Bank, slightly in the West Bank at places, but mainly along the border.
The reason this decision taken by the cabinet this morning over the objections of the hard-line ministers, is that it's controversial is that they are planning to have a whole four or five prongs of the security barrier deep into the West Bank to encompass some of the major Jewish settlements, including one major town near here, the town of Ariel (ph). And that has really brought about the objection of the United States, which says it shouldn't do that, Israel shouldn't do that.
The Israelis have tried to come up what they call a compromise. Whether it really is a compromise, something dubious. But what they say they will do is they will build the fences around those settlements and they won't, in the first instance, for the first year or so while they're building the rest of the fence, link it up, link those settlement fences up to the main security barrier more or less along the West Bank-Israel border.
But it's likely to draw a good deal of ire not only from the Palestinians, but a good deal of dissatisfaction in Washington -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Jerrold Kessel in the West Bank this morning.
Thanks so much, Jerrold. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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