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American Morning

President Blaming Palestinian Leaders for Deadly Attack on U.S. Diplomatic Convoy

Aired October 16, 2003 - 08:07   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: The president blaming Palestinian leaders for the deadly attack on a U.S. diplomatic convoy yesterday. He says their failure to crack down on terrorists led to the bombing of a convoy that killed three Americans in northern Gaza. It is the first time Americans have been targeted in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that extends more than three years.
What could this mean now to U.S. involvement in the peace process, as the intifada continues in the Middle East?

George Mitchell, former U.S. senator, Middle East negotiator, back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.

Nice to see you again.

GEORGE MITCHELL, FORMER U.S. SENATOR, FORMER MIDEAST NEGOTIATOR: Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: Do you believe with those who say a new line has been crossed in this conflict?

MITCHELL: It very well could be, and besides being a tragic act of terrorism which should be totally condemned, it's incredibly self- destructive for the Palestinians. They already have a difficult enough time, very little support in this country. This will reduce that support even further and it will make it more difficult for Americans to operate in Gaza and presumably the West Bank.

HEMMER: Well, why does that make it more difficult for them? Is this a direct comment toward the leadership itself or trying to get the Palestinian, the rebel groups somewhat in line to hold their fire?

MITCHELL: Well, of course, it's a setback for all of the Palestinian people. It's a further demonstration that the policy of terrorist acts does not advance the goal of a Palestinian state, it retards it. It's simply the wrong course to take. Now, it's impossible to know at this time -- I certainly don't know, I doubt anyone does, exactly who did it and why, and we don't know whether it marks a new course of action that will have further incidents directed at Americans.

HEMMER: As you know, though, there is an inference in all of this that says this was entrapment, that this was a setup. And the Americans essentially were traveling with a convoy of Palestinian security officials. If that's the case, how do you negotiate when you can't not know whether or not you can trust the people who are assigned to keeping you safe?

MITCHELL: That's just the point, you can't do it. I've been on the same road in the same vehicles with the same escort and most Americans who have gone there, that's the only way you can get in, through that checkpoint. That's a well traveled road. Many, many Americans have been there, private citizens, government officials alike.

If the result of this is a dramatic reduction in the number of Americans and the frequency of Americans traveling, it'll make it more difficult for the United States to be involved and I think that, in itself, is a setback for the process.

HEMMER: Do you think there's any evidence right now that indicates there is a rise of anti-Americanism in that part of the world?

MITCHELL: Oh, yes...

HEMMER: Is this proof of it?

MITCHELL: Oh, yes. There's a rise in anti-Americanism all over the world. It's an alarming trend.

HEMMER: But exclusively in Gaza and the West Bank.

MITCHELL: Oh, yes. There's a high level of anti-Americanism now, yes.

HEMMER: Yes. Considering that, then, what do you do if you're the president?

MITCHELL: I think the president has no choice but to continue the effort that's under way, to pursue trying to bring the parties back to the table, to bring the violence down. This complicates it, certainly in a tactical sense, of how and where Americans can move, whether they can or cannot move freely in the region. But I don't think it alters the strategic imperative of American leadership and involvement trying to bring an end to the violence and a resumption of negotiations.

HEMMER: Quickly here, do you think there becomes a common target now? We talked about this a lot yesterday in the aftermath of this attack. Do the Palestinians, the Israelis and the Americans now have a common focus, more so than they did before? Or can you go that far at this point?

MITCHELL: Well, it's impossible to know. Clearly, the Palestinian leadership must react and take the final step, which they have not taken yet, of cracking down on these terrorist activities. At the same time, it's obvious they won't do it until they're assured that something positive will follow, that is, movement toward their objective of a state. That's where American leadership comes in, to get both sides to move in that direction.

HEMMER: Thank you, Senator. MITCHELL: Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: Come back any time, all right?

MITCHELL: Thank you.

HEMMER: George Mitchell with us 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





U.S. Diplomatic Convoy>


Aired October 16, 2003 - 08:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The president blaming Palestinian leaders for the deadly attack on a U.S. diplomatic convoy yesterday. He says their failure to crack down on terrorists led to the bombing of a convoy that killed three Americans in northern Gaza. It is the first time Americans have been targeted in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that extends more than three years.
What could this mean now to U.S. involvement in the peace process, as the intifada continues in the Middle East?

George Mitchell, former U.S. senator, Middle East negotiator, back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.

Nice to see you again.

GEORGE MITCHELL, FORMER U.S. SENATOR, FORMER MIDEAST NEGOTIATOR: Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: Do you believe with those who say a new line has been crossed in this conflict?

MITCHELL: It very well could be, and besides being a tragic act of terrorism which should be totally condemned, it's incredibly self- destructive for the Palestinians. They already have a difficult enough time, very little support in this country. This will reduce that support even further and it will make it more difficult for Americans to operate in Gaza and presumably the West Bank.

HEMMER: Well, why does that make it more difficult for them? Is this a direct comment toward the leadership itself or trying to get the Palestinian, the rebel groups somewhat in line to hold their fire?

MITCHELL: Well, of course, it's a setback for all of the Palestinian people. It's a further demonstration that the policy of terrorist acts does not advance the goal of a Palestinian state, it retards it. It's simply the wrong course to take. Now, it's impossible to know at this time -- I certainly don't know, I doubt anyone does, exactly who did it and why, and we don't know whether it marks a new course of action that will have further incidents directed at Americans.

HEMMER: As you know, though, there is an inference in all of this that says this was entrapment, that this was a setup. And the Americans essentially were traveling with a convoy of Palestinian security officials. If that's the case, how do you negotiate when you can't not know whether or not you can trust the people who are assigned to keeping you safe?

MITCHELL: That's just the point, you can't do it. I've been on the same road in the same vehicles with the same escort and most Americans who have gone there, that's the only way you can get in, through that checkpoint. That's a well traveled road. Many, many Americans have been there, private citizens, government officials alike.

If the result of this is a dramatic reduction in the number of Americans and the frequency of Americans traveling, it'll make it more difficult for the United States to be involved and I think that, in itself, is a setback for the process.

HEMMER: Do you think there's any evidence right now that indicates there is a rise of anti-Americanism in that part of the world?

MITCHELL: Oh, yes...

HEMMER: Is this proof of it?

MITCHELL: Oh, yes. There's a rise in anti-Americanism all over the world. It's an alarming trend.

HEMMER: But exclusively in Gaza and the West Bank.

MITCHELL: Oh, yes. There's a high level of anti-Americanism now, yes.

HEMMER: Yes. Considering that, then, what do you do if you're the president?

MITCHELL: I think the president has no choice but to continue the effort that's under way, to pursue trying to bring the parties back to the table, to bring the violence down. This complicates it, certainly in a tactical sense, of how and where Americans can move, whether they can or cannot move freely in the region. But I don't think it alters the strategic imperative of American leadership and involvement trying to bring an end to the violence and a resumption of negotiations.

HEMMER: Quickly here, do you think there becomes a common target now? We talked about this a lot yesterday in the aftermath of this attack. Do the Palestinians, the Israelis and the Americans now have a common focus, more so than they did before? Or can you go that far at this point?

MITCHELL: Well, it's impossible to know. Clearly, the Palestinian leadership must react and take the final step, which they have not taken yet, of cracking down on these terrorist activities. At the same time, it's obvious they won't do it until they're assured that something positive will follow, that is, movement toward their objective of a state. That's where American leadership comes in, to get both sides to move in that direction.

HEMMER: Thank you, Senator. MITCHELL: Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: Come back any time, all right?

MITCHELL: Thank you.

HEMMER: George Mitchell with us 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





U.S. Diplomatic Convoy>