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American Morning
U.S. Diplomatic Convoy Bombed in Northern Gaza
Aired October 15, 2003 - 07:31 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: Let's get back to the business of the Middle East today. And, again, this news broke about two hours ago. A U.S. diplomatic convoy was bombed earlier today in northern Gaza. At least three Americans were killed, another seriously injured. There has been no claim of responsibility yet.
The Palestinian Authority quickly condemning that bombing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AHMED QOREI, PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER: We are sorry about so much, sorry about what happened today in Eretz against the American diplomats. We condemn it strongly. We send all condolences for the families of those who have been killed there and we hope for those who are injured that they will recover very soon. And we will investigate from our side this from wherever we condemn it, from wherever it comes, and we will investigate the case and we will see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Ambassador Dore Gold, senior adviser to Israel's prime minister, with us now live from Jerusalem to talk about this.
Dr. Gold, thanks for your time.
You're just hearing from the Palestinian side about the joint investigation. Satisfactory at this point?
AMB. DORE GOLD, ADVISER TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Well, first of all, I think all Israelis send their heartfelt condolences to the people of the United States for these terrible losses. You know, we here in Israel have been the brunt of these attacks and we understand exactly the kind of grief this terrible, terrible terrorism causes.
Clearly, these attacks are motivated by the same anti-Western, anti-American feelings that unite all these forces in the Middle East, whether it's Hamas here in the Gaza Strip or it's the Mujahedeen in western Iraq fighting the U.S. Army. They are all inspired by the same ideology and by the same determination to see our destruction.
HEMMER: We mentioned that there's been no claim of responsibility at this point. Who benefits, do you believe, from an attack like this in Gaza?
GOLD: Well, I think this type of attack cannot be analyzed from the standpoint of a Western political science seminar. You have to understand the ideology of those who are involved in this militant form of Jihad against America and against Israel. Much of this, as I said before, comes from the same clerics in Saudi Arabia, in Qatar and other places, the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood who are motivating, as well, Hamas, Islamic Jihad. They're motivating al Qaeda.
And they are determined to see the destruction of what we stand for. It's the same motivation that brought about the attack on U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, against the Turks in Baghdad, and now against Americans in the Gaza Strip.
HEMMER: There is a suggestion already, Dr. Gold, that the Israelis, the Palestinians, the Americans now have a common enemy when they see events like these in Gaza City.
Do you buy that argument?
GOLD: Well, really, the proof is in the actual action the Palestinians will take. Had the Palestinian Authority dismantled the terrorist groups in accordance with the road map of President Bush, then this attack would never have occurred. Let's hope that the Palestinians internalize the urgency of their need to dismantle terrorist groups like Hamas, like Islamic Jihad, imprison those who are involved in terrorism, dismantle and take away their weapons.
Let's hope they understand that at this point.
HEMMER: That was Dr. Dore Gold live from Jerusalem, with us again.
The news just breaking at this point, a developing story from the Middle East.
A live news conference later today from Tel Aviv.
Dan Kurtz, U.S. ambassador to Israel, will take questions a bit later today, 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. And certainly CNN will have live coverage when that starts from Israel later this morning.
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 October 15, 2003 - 07:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get back to the business of the Middle East today. And, again, this news broke about two hours ago. A U.S. diplomatic convoy was bombed earlier today in northern Gaza. At least three Americans were killed, another seriously injured. There has been no claim of responsibility yet.
The Palestinian Authority quickly condemning that bombing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AHMED QOREI, PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER: We are sorry about so much, sorry about what happened today in Eretz against the American diplomats. We condemn it strongly. We send all condolences for the families of those who have been killed there and we hope for those who are injured that they will recover very soon. And we will investigate from our side this from wherever we condemn it, from wherever it comes, and we will investigate the case and we will see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Ambassador Dore Gold, senior adviser to Israel's prime minister, with us now live from Jerusalem to talk about this.
Dr. Gold, thanks for your time.
You're just hearing from the Palestinian side about the joint investigation. Satisfactory at this point?
AMB. DORE GOLD, ADVISER TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Well, first of all, I think all Israelis send their heartfelt condolences to the people of the United States for these terrible losses. You know, we here in Israel have been the brunt of these attacks and we understand exactly the kind of grief this terrible, terrible terrorism causes.
Clearly, these attacks are motivated by the same anti-Western, anti-American feelings that unite all these forces in the Middle East, whether it's Hamas here in the Gaza Strip or it's the Mujahedeen in western Iraq fighting the U.S. Army. They are all inspired by the same ideology and by the same determination to see our destruction.
HEMMER: We mentioned that there's been no claim of responsibility at this point. Who benefits, do you believe, from an attack like this in Gaza?
GOLD: Well, I think this type of attack cannot be analyzed from the standpoint of a Western political science seminar. You have to understand the ideology of those who are involved in this militant form of Jihad against America and against Israel. Much of this, as I said before, comes from the same clerics in Saudi Arabia, in Qatar and other places, the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood who are motivating, as well, Hamas, Islamic Jihad. They're motivating al Qaeda.
And they are determined to see the destruction of what we stand for. It's the same motivation that brought about the attack on U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, against the Turks in Baghdad, and now against Americans in the Gaza Strip.
HEMMER: There is a suggestion already, Dr. Gold, that the Israelis, the Palestinians, the Americans now have a common enemy when they see events like these in Gaza City.
Do you buy that argument?
GOLD: Well, really, the proof is in the actual action the Palestinians will take. Had the Palestinian Authority dismantled the terrorist groups in accordance with the road map of President Bush, then this attack would never have occurred. Let's hope that the Palestinians internalize the urgency of their need to dismantle terrorist groups like Hamas, like Islamic Jihad, imprison those who are involved in terrorism, dismantle and take away their weapons.
Let's hope they understand that at this point.
HEMMER: That was Dr. Dore Gold live from Jerusalem, with us again.
The news just breaking at this point, a developing story from the Middle East.
A live news conference later today from Tel Aviv.
Dan Kurtz, U.S. ambassador to Israel, will take questions a bit later today, 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. And certainly CNN will have live coverage when that starts from Israel later this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
