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The Situation Room
Israel's Cabinet Gives Go-Ahead for Wider Ground War
Aired July 31, 2006 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Lou. And to our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Standing by CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you tonight's top stories.
Happening now, breaking news in the Middle East crisis. Israel's Security Cabinet gives the go-ahead for a wider ground war against Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon. It's 2:00 a.m. Tuesday in Jerusalem where the prime minister's office said just a few moments ago that this go-ahead will take place this hour. Is there any hope for a cease-fire?
Also tonight, could Syrian troops be drawn into the fight? Syria's president putting the military on a new alert after 20 days of warfare in the region.
And here in the United States, the actor/director Mel Gibson goes into rehab after a drunken driving arrest. It's 4:00 p.m. in Los Angeles where Gibson may need to recover from a P.R. nightmare. Reports he made sexist and anti Semitic remarks during his arrest.
I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Up first tonight, the breaking news from the Middle East and the threat of wider warfare in the region. The Israeli Security Cabinet has approved an expanded ground offensive against Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon. Earlier the prime minister, Ehud Olmert ruled out a cease-fire saying the attacks will end only when Hezbollah's threat to Israel ends.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EHUD OLMERT, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: No cease-fire. No cease- fire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Israel launched new air and ground strikes on southern Lebanon today despite having agreed to a 48-hour suspension. And now Syria is issuing a potentially ominous warning. President Bashar al- Assad has told the Syrian military to raise its readiness level. He said Syria will not abandon its support for Lebanon as Israel presses its attacks on Hezbollah fighters.
Here in Washington, the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is now back at the White House from the Middle East and she's briefing President Bush right now on her diplomat mission. We have reporters covering all the latest developments tonight.
CNN's Aneesh Raman is standing by in Damascus. Nic Robertson is in Beirut. But let's go to John Roberts. He's on the front lines in northern Israel -- John.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN SR. NAT'L CORRESPONDENT: Good evening to you Wolf. There may be a partial suspension of the air war but I can tell you the war is continuing, the ground portions in southern Lebanon striking at those Hezbollah positions. It's been a very busy night here. We saw combat engineering battalion go across the border tonight.
We should get some pictures back, by the way, tomorrow because one of our CNN cameraman was the embedded reporter -- was the embedded photographer at least on that excursion, so we hope to be able to bring that to you tomorrow. We're hearing outgoing mortar fire. We're hearing outgoing artillery. We're also hearing machinegun fire across the valley.
And just a short time ago, Wolf, and this does not usually happen at night. This is the first time since I've gotten here that this has happened at night, a Katyusha rocket hit about 500 yards away from where we're standing. Not only is Israel ramping up in the northeastern sector of southern Lebanon, but it's also expanding its campaign in the south central section.
Ground forces are now fighting in a town called Aqa al Shab (ph), which is just north of the area where those two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped, the event that touched off this entire conflict. So now with Ehud Olmert saying there is not going to be a cease-fire, with Israel security council saying there is a wide movement of the ground war, everyone, Wolf, here is wondering what is this going to look like.
Are we going to see columns of tanks as we had in 1967 and in the Yom Kippur war or is it going to continue to be sort of one of those pinpoint attack type of strategies that Israel has been engaging in so far. That remains to be seen. And Wolf, we should know more about that tomorrow because it will take some time to get those forces up to the front but we will be along the border tomorrow watching out for that.
BLITZER: John, is there a sense among the troops there -- you're talking to commanders -- Israeli commanders that the clock is ticking that Israel has a limited window right now to try to destroy as much of Hezbollah's military capabilities as possible. That's why they're ratcheting up this potential ground war.
ROBERTS: Despite what Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said today, Wolf, about this idea there is no cease-fire, there will be no cease- fire, certainly international pressure is mounting on Israel to wrap this up as quickly as possible. Many countries want an immediate cease-fire.
Condoleezza Rice said she believed that she could have a cease- fire and the framework for a lasting peace in place including that international security force by the end of the week and without the air power to the same extent that they had it for the last couple of weeks, Wolf, I think what they're doing is intensifying the ground war to strike those Hezbollah positions in the cities, towns and villages in southern Lebanon, try to try to push them back as far as they can and then hold that ground until that international force comes in.
BLITZER: John Roberts, stand by. We're going to come back to you, but I want to go further north to Damascus right now. Aneesh Raman is standing by. Aneesh, some ominous words from the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, explain to our viewers the significance.
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the Syrian president in the statement to Syrian troops, raised their readiness in what he says has been a war of genocide by Israel that is increasing in its ferocity. Now there was no mention of an increase in troop numbers or movement of military assets. It seems the Syrian president was taking this moment of opportunity that Syria seized in the aftermath of the attack in Qana, Lebanon amid further fury in the Muslim world to remind the world of Syria's import in the region and its strategic placement right next to Lebanon.
Syria says if it is attacked, it will respond. But it does not want to be brought into this military conflict, at least not yet. Instead, it does not want to be left out of any peace deals. So Syria reminding with strong words from the president tonight that it shouldn't be ignored -- Wolf.
BLITZER: There's also a sense in Damascus I take it that they fear the Syrian military, the Syrian political establishment that Israel could ratchet up their attacks against Hezbollah along the Syrian border, getting mighty close to Syrian troops.
RAMAN: There is fear of that. Just a few days ago a very close air strike on the main road between Lebanon and Syrian just four kilometers inland from Lebanon. The closest yet as far as we have been able to tell to the main border crossing at Yabouss. The border crossing was closed and so there is increasing fear here that those strikes are getting closer, an increasing sense here that Syria needs to be ready. But again they're cautioning this statement from the president is defensive, not offensive. It is not meant to be seen as Syria getting ready to do anything, rather Syria being prepared for whatever comes next, Wolf.
BLITZER: Aneesh, stand by. We're going to come back to you as well. Aneesh Raman reporting from Damascus. So is Israel concerned right now about Syria's military readiness being elevated to a new level? I asked the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Dan Gillerman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Are you worried Mr. Ambassador that this war between Israel and Hezbollah right now, which is limited to those two worrying factions, if you will, Israel and Hezbollah, could escalate to include Syria? DAN GILLERMAN, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: No I'm not really worried. We have no intention of attacking Syria. And quite frankly, I don't think Syria has any interest in entering this fray. Syria is a very weak country, a very poor country with an antiquated army. Syria has made the mistake of attacking Israel several times, but when it did it did it with some of its Arab allies. I don't believe anyone today, neither Egypt nor Jordan nor any other country has any interest in helping Syria get out of the mess which it has made for itself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: We're just getting this in from the Reuters News Agency, word from Reuters that Israel is mobilizing another 15,000 reservists right now. This on the heels of only a few days ago mobilizing three divisions another 15, 000 or so reservists. When I was in Israel last week Israeli military sources suggesting that this was all being done as a precaution in case there's a miscalculation. In case there is a miscalculation that would bring in Syria into this war with Israel and Hezbollah right now.
The Reuters News Agency quoting Israel radio for this information that another 15,000 Israeli reservists are being put on active duty right now. We're following all of these stories for you, the breaking news on both fronts. The Syrian Security Cabinet voting to expand the ground war and Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad telling his Army to increased its readiness.
Let's get the latest now from Lebanon with all of this, Nic Robertson is joining us once again live from Beirut -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INT'L CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the very latest from here, a meeting between the French foreign minister and the Iranian foreign minister of the Iranian embassy here. It's not clear what was concluded in that meeting. There was no joint statement. There were no statements given.
But before he went in, the French foreign minister said that it was important for the international community to trust Iran and for Iran to trust the international community. This is the first indication of significant international diplomatic pressure being applied to Hezbollah, one of Hezbollah's biggest allies, Iran. Again, it's not clear what's come out of that meeting. The French foreign minister also met with the prime minister of Lebanon today, Fouad Siniora. That meeting, again, the French taking the lead in diplomacy here, offering 5,000 battle-ready French troops as part of the international military force that may come in here as part of a comprehensive cease-fire. That seems to disappear over the horizon at the moment at the beginning of the day with the partial suspension of bombing.
There was an aurora perhaps in the south of a little more hope. A lot of people fleeing the south, those who could, some going back into their homes in southern Lebanon to retrieve possessions before getting out again. But as we have seen, as we heard an escalation through the day of the ground battle of the air battle here, Wolf. BLITZER: This is a significant development, the Iranian foreign minister showing up in Beirut, Nic, not only meeting with representatives from the Lebanese government, but also meeting with the visiting French foreign minister. Give us a little bit more perspective on the potential significance.
ROBERTSON: Well there was even a suggestion earlier in the evening that the French foreign minister when told in public that the Iranian foreign minister was in town indicated that he wasn't quite aware. The two men did meet later, but again we've heard from people close to that meeting that when it was suggested they should come out and give a joint press conference, the French foreign minister demurred and decided not to do it because this wasn't what he was expecting. So one gets the impression that this meeting has really been between the two foreign ministers, has been on the spur of the moment.
But it is an indication here that Iran who has a tremendous amount of influence with Hezbollah is becoming more actively engaged in the process, to which end is not clear at the moment, but it's been clear to many people in Lebanon that without Iran's involvement, without Iran's direct contact with Hezbollah, then there was going to be no immediate diplomatic solution. But again what we're seeing on the ground here pointing to an escalation in the conflict, not any immediate diplomacy, Wolf.
BLITZER: Nic Robertson in Beirut for us. Thanks very much. And we're going to continue to stay on top of the breaking news. We're following three major developments unfolding only in the past several moments. Israeli officials saying the Israeli Security Cabinet has approved an expanded ground war into southern Lebanon. The Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, telling his military to raise their alert status, become more prepared for the possibility of an expanded war.
And also the Reuters News Agency reporting Israel radio saying the more Israeli reservists have been activated, called up for active duty. Some 15,000 additional Israeli troops. Jack Cafferty is joining us in New York. You know, Jack, the story is not going away.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: No, and Condoleezza Rice, I guess, coming back to the United States with not a whole lot to show for her trip over there. Now she's saying that she'd like to see some kind of a cease-fire this week. Last week she said she wasn't interested, so it's a little tough to keep up.
Senator's John McCain's youngest son has joined the Marines. "TIME" reports Jimmy McCain begins basic training in September. And depending on which unit he joins, he could be in Iraq within a year. The youngest McCain following in the footsteps of course of his father who served in the Navy. He was also a POW during Vietnam. His grandfather and great grandfather were both Navy admirals.
And then there's this of course. Senator McCain is a potential presidential candidate in 2008. Also one of the leading advocates of sending more troops to Iraq, he says his son's service won't change his position on the war in Iraq. But it's pretty uncommon for the kids of our representatives to enlist. The percentage of congressmen both House and Senate members with children serving in the military is about one percent.
That compares to 32 congressional family members who are lobbyists. That's according to a recent study by Public Citizens Congress Watch (ph). So here's the question. Would the U.S. attitude toward war be any different if more politicians' children served in the military?
E-mail your thoughts to CaffertyFile@CNN.com or go to CNN.com/CaffertyFile -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jack thank you. Jack Cafferty in New York. And if you want a sneak preview, by the way, of Jack's questions, plus an early read on the day's political news and what's ahead right here in THE SITUATION ROOM, you can sign up for our daily e-mail alert. Just go to CNN.com/SituationRoom.
Following breaking news tonight on two fronts, the Israeli Security Cabinet voting to expand the ground war and Syrian's president telling his army to increase its readiness. Also happening right now, the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meeting with President Bush over at the White House. Will they push harder for a cease-fire? We're going to go there live.
Plus, a Republican senator calling for an end to what he says is the sickening slaughter in the Middle East. Find out why he's calling on the Bush administration to change course.
And Mel Gibson checks into rehab after his drunken driving arrest and alleged anti-Semitic tirade, we're going behind the headlines to find out what's really going on.
Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: We're following breaking news in the Middle East crisis on two fronts. Israel's Security Cabinet tonight has voted to expand the ground offensive in Lebanon. Israel radio reporting that Israel is calling up more reserves, perhaps three divisions, that would be about 15,000 troops being mobilized. At the same time, Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad is telling his military to raise their own readiness.
We're watching all of this. In the meantime, a leading Republican senator is now second-guessing President Bush's Middle East strategy. Senator Chuck Hagel says Mr. Bush should call for an immediate cease-fire, saying -- quote -- "the sickening slaughter must end now."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: How do we realistically believe that a continuation of the systematic destruction of an American friend, the country and people of Lebanon is going to enhance America's image and give us the trust and credibility to lead a lasting and sustained peace effort in the Middle East. The sickening slaughter on both sides, Mr. President, must end and it must end now. President Bush must call for an immediate cease-fire. This madness must stop.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: The Secretary of the State Condoleezza Rice fresh from her visit to the Middle East is now at the White House meeting with President Bush. She just arrived there a few moments ago. Earlier she said she believes a comprehensive settlement could be reached this week.
Let's bring in our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. Suzanne, is there a shift that we're sensing from the White House beginning to ratchet up the pressure at least a little bit on Israel?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, there certainly is a sense of frustration here at the White House. Administration officials say they had really hoped a cease-fire would come some time this week. Already three weeks into this escalation into this crisis and what we are hearing -- we heard it earlier today from President Bush, we've heard it from Secretary Rice, is they want a U.N. Security Council resolution that can be tabled by the end of this week.
They want all the players on board here. There are administration officials who are acknowledging that this window of opportunity, a critical window here is dramatically shrinking and part of that of course is that civilian target that was hit in Qana and that time is not on their side. They recognize if you've got another situation like that, then all of this could simply fall apart.
BLITZER: The expectation, Suzanne, is that she would head up to New York to the United Nations maybe as early as Wednesday and that some sort of resolution could be passed by Thursday, setting the stage for international stabilization force, 15 or 20,000 troops moving into south Lebanon. Is that still what you're hearing at the White House?
MALVEAUX: Well that is the plan and of course it's a very ambitious one. Even U.S. officials will acknowledge that. That they set up a condition for a permanent cease-fire, that they get some sort of multinational force that's on board with those from various countries to try to secure the border. And of course one of big problems here is trying to convince Lebanon to actually go ahead and get tough with Hezbollah, at least militarily. This at the same time while Hezbollah is strengthening politically.
BLITZER: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House. Thank you very much. We will check back with you once we get word on the outcome of these meetings between the president and the secretary of state.
Still to come tonight in THE SITUATION ROOM, the latest on those breaking stories we're following, the Israeli Security Cabinet giving the go-ahead for a wider ground war in Lebanon. We're going to go back to the region on the threat of this conflict growing even worse. And we'll also go live to Syria where its president has put his troops on alert for a possible action he says in defense of Lebanon.
Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Much more ahead on the breaking news we're following out of the Middle East. Israel Security Cabinet voting to expand the ground war and Syria's president putting the Syrian his military on an increased state of alert. We're watching this breaking story for you. We'll have much more on it coming up; first though let's go to CNN's Zain Verjee. She's got some other important stories making news -- Zain.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, Iran has until the 31st of August to halt its uranium enrichment program or face possible economic sanctions. The U.N. Security Council tossed the resolution today by a vote of 14-1. Only Qatar voted no. Iran's U.N. ambassador denounced the resolution saying it violates international law. Tehran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and it's not aimed at developing nuclear weapons. The U.S. and its western allies are skeptical.
Rising violence in Iraq is taking another toll. Iraqi ministry officials say at least 20,000 Iraqis have become refugees in just the past 10 days. They say 182,000 Iraqis have fled their homes since the bombing of a revered Shia shrine in February. They add there may be even more refugees because they're not actually counting people who haven't asked Iraq's government for help.
Mexico City's financial center came to a standstill today. Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets to demand a vote recount. Leftist presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador charges fraud tainted the election, which opponent Felipe Calderon narrowly won earlier this month. Mexico's top electoral court has until September the 6th to declare a president elect or just annul the election. Obrador promises to block the city center until the tribunal rules on his request for a recount.
President Bush is finding out firsthand if the nation is hurricane ready. He stopped by the National Hurricane Center in Miami today. A scientist at the center told Mr. Bush that it's not certain if global warming is to blame for last year's devastating Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Florida Democratic Party called Mr. Bush's visit a P.R. tour and accused him of ignoring warnings before Katrina hit -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Zain thank you. Zain Verjee reporting. And just ahead, more on the breaking news we're following out of the Middle East. The situation there could get even more dire and deadly. The Israeli government has just given the OK to expand the ground war in Lebanon. We're going to have the latest.
Also, Syria's president raising the readiness of his own troops, we're going to look at what that could mean. We will also speak with the former U.S. Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger.
Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: And to our viewers you're in THE SITUATION ROOM where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Happening now, breaking news in the Middle East crisis, Israel Security Cabinet approving a wider ground war against Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon. And now Reuters reporting Israel plans to call up even more reservists.
Also tonight, the Syrian President Bashir al-Assad telling the Syrian military to raise its readiness level. He says Syria will not abandon Lebanon as it endures punishing Israeli air strikes. And Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice now back from the Middle East. She's at the White House reporting to President Bush about her diplomatic mission and the prospects for a cease-fire and a settlement.
I'm Wolf Blitzer and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
We have reporters standing by across the Middle East. Let's go to the northern part of Israel. First Matthew Chance joining us from the Israeli-Lebanese border. Ominous words coming from Jerusalem and Damascus. Matthew, you're right on the front lines. Give us a little sense of perspective. The fact that the Israeli Cabinet...
(SHOTS)
BLITZER: What was that, Matthew?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That was outgoing artillery fire, Wolf. And there's been a certain upswing in the amount of the -- these artillery shells that are being fired from this location at this artillery battery in northern Israel, just a short distance from the Lebanese frontier.
Obviously they're firing it into Lebanon to support the ground forces that are already there in close combat we're told in some areas at least with Hezbollah fighters. They're aiming they say at Hezbollah strongholds. But we have seen over the last few days how difficult it can be in these areas where Hezbollah are operating very close to civilian areas.
Obviously we've got no way of knowing at the moment where these shells are landing. But to go back to your question, yes, very ominous news, indeed, coming from the Israeli Security Cabinet giving approval for an expanded ground war in southern Lebanon. And that report from the Reuters News Agency, as you mentioned as well, that what is being considered is a further call up of Israeli reserves. That follows a call up just a few days ago, remember, when perhaps around 15,000 reserves, possibly more than that -- the Israeli government doesn't get specific with figures -- were called up already in preparation for some kind of expansion.
This has been something that's obviously been on the minds of the Israeli military planners for some time. Couple that with the announcement -- there we go, another artillery round being fired off into Lebanon. But couple that with the announcement from Bashar al Assad, the Syrian president that he's placing his armed forces on high alert and you get to a very, very dangerous situation indeed. It's extremely volatile. And as long as this conflict goes on, or the longer it goes on, rather, the more danger there is of it expanding into neighboring countries and causing obviously a lot more bloodshed than we have seen already.
BLITZER: Matthew, we continue to hear that artillery going off behind you. We are going to check back with you. Obviously it is a very disturbing, disturbing sound, especially given the fact that you're as close to it as you clearly are.
Matthew, stand by. I want to go to Damascus. Aneesh Raman is there with a little -- the latest we are getting on these tough words from the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, telling the Syrian military to get ready, go to the next level. What does it mean, Aneesh?
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the Syrian president called Israel's war of aggression one that is riddle with genocide. And he told the troops to prepare better, to train harder for whatever may come next. Syria has said from the start that if Israel gets too close to the Syrian border with ground forces or with aerial attacks, it will see that as a threat to national security.
In the past few days we saw a bombing on the main road between Syria and Lebanon, about two miles beyond the main border crossing between the two countries. It closed the border crossing. We also have the news tonight of an expansion, perhaps, in the ground forces in Lebanon. And so Syrian is watching closely. It does not want, from all indications we've gotten so far, to be drawn into this military conflict. There was no mention in the statement of raising troop levels or moving military assets.
Instead, it seems the Syrian president is flexing his might in the region, showing the world where Syria is and its regional importance because given the rage that we've seen in the Muslim world after the attack in Qana, Lebanon. Syria is aware there is growing calls for an immediate ceasefire and for a peace deal to be brokered, and Syria doesn't want to be left out of that deal, Wolf.
BLITZER: Aneesh. When I was in Jerusalem last week, authoritative Israeli sources said to me they were mobilizing last week those three divisions in Israel, about 15,000 or so troops not necessarily to deal with Hezbollah but because of the fear that potentially this war could widen to include Syria.
Now there is word, Reuters quoting Israel radio saying yet another three divisions, another 15,000 or so troops are about to be mobilized. In Israel, there's a lot of concern that Bashar al-Assad is inexperienced, not like his father, Hafez al-Assad, and as a result somewhat unpredictable. But what I hear you saying is everything you've heard is that Syria does not want to be drawn in.
RAMAN: That seems to be the case at the moment. But as you exactly point out, the Syrian president is seen both within the country by some and outside by many as inexperienced in these sort of situations. And we are seeing a dangerous rise in tensions within the immediate part of the Middle East here as well as beyond. And as Israeli troops rise up to prevent any action by Syria, Syrian troops are now raising their alert level to prepare against an attack by Israel. And given all that is happening now, that can only perhaps lead down a dangerous road. We'll have to see, Wolf.
BLITZER: Aneesh. Stand by. We are going to be checking back with you clearly throughout the night. Matthew Chance is in northern Israel where the Israeli military continuing to pound targets in southern Lebanon. We keep hearing those artillery blasts going off near you Matthew and it's totally understandable that you're flinching. I take it's very loud, here it can be very disturbing. You're very close. There it goes again. Give us a sense of the fears -- if this is getting dangerous over there, Matthew, just let us know and we will stop this. I don't want to put you in any increased danger. Do you want to continue this, Matthew?
CHANCE: I think it is fine, Wolf. This is outgoing fire. It's very disturbing to be very close to it because it sends a shock wave through the air when it fires and it sort of jolts your body and your insides. That's why I'm flinching.
But it's safe in the sense that we are well back from the Lebanese border here. These shelling are being fired quite a way into southern Lebanon. And at the moment, we have had not return fire from the Hezbollah at this stage. Certainly not in this area. Although in other areas of northern Israel, they have had a few rockets come in over the course of the past several hours. And so obviously we're very alert to that but please, continue, Wolf.
BLITZER: Matthew. All right. Be careful over there. We will check back with you. Matthew Chance among our courageous team of journalists covering this war and when I saw courageous, these guys are very, very courageous indeed. I talked about the possibility of Syria being drawn into the Middle East fighting with an elder statesman who has decades of experience in the region's politics.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Joining us now to talk about that, as well as the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the former secretary of state, Henry Kissinger. He's joining us from Connecticut.
Dr. Kissinger, before we get to that, your immediate reaction to the words of Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, suggesting that the Syrian military right now should raise their alert status, raise their readiness, and the fear that could generate that the war between Israel and Hezbollah may eventually escalate to include Syria?
HENRY KISSINGER, FMR. SECRETARY OF STATE: I don't believe the war will escalate because of Syrian intervention. We're at a moment now when everybody is maneuvering for the Security Council discussions and where everybody is trying to get some credit or some piece of the action as negotiations develop. And one should keep in mind what the fundamental issues are and not let oneself get deflected from those. BLITZER: You invented shuttle diplomacy in 1974 after the '73 war. You were shuttling between Jerusalem and Cairo, you got a disengagement of forces agreement along the Suez Canal, then you spent a lot of time shuttling between Damascus and Jerusalem to get that disengagement of forces agreement on the Golan Heights. Should Condoleezza Rice, the Secretary of State, instead of coming back to Washington be shuttling between capitals in the region, including Damascus to try to bring this fighting to an end?
KISSINGER: No, I think she did the right thing returning to Washington. When I shuttled, the war was over, and the two countries that had attacked Israel then had not been able to achieve their objectives by military means, and America provided them an opportunity to achieve -- to make progress towards peace by diplomatic means. And I believe that pattern will apply here, too. If the military aggression, which really took place from Lebanon into Israel does not work, if Hezbollah cannot establish itself as a genuine spokesman of the radical Arabs, and do it by being on a territory of a country that did not invite them to do this, if that can be stopped, then there will be an opportunity for negotiation both on the immediate issue in Lebanon and on the more important issue of the relationship of Iran to the rest of the world.
BLITZER: I'll get to that in a moment. But does the Bush administration, which is seen in the Arab world and in much of Europe and elsewhere as so aligned with Israel, does it have the ability to serve as an honest broker and negotiate the kind of deals that you did during the Nixon administration?
KISSINGER: Well, we are not aligned with Israel except on -- except on the fundamental issue. The fundamental issue is that we do not -- that we oppose organizations that are not state organizations establishing themselves on the territories of states and conducting military operations as if they were states.
America has an interest in a peaceful outcome, America has an interest in normal relations with an Iran that is concerned with its own security and with its own prosperity. But what we have to oppose is attempts to establish domination by radical groups which will have a profound impact on all the moderate Arab regimes, most of which quietly agree with us, and which will radicalize the Islamic world wherever Islamic minorities exist, that is the fundamental issue. If we can deal with this, we should be the leaders in a negotiation that brings peace and stability to the Middle East. But one cannot do that under the emotions of the moment and one has to settle the immediate issue and then I think indeed the United States should play an active and leading role in negotiations.
BLITZER: Dr. Kissinger thanks very much for joining us.
KISSINGER: Always a pleasure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Still ahead tonight, it was once a bustling Lebanese town. Now there's not much left there. Bint Jbeil. Fighting there reduced much of the town to rubble. We are going to show you what happened, what's going on right now.
Also, Mel Gibson is accused of driving drunk and launching into an anti-Semitic tirade. Now the actor has checked into rehab. We'll take you behind the headlines. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: We're following break news out of Middle East on two fronts, Israel's security cabinet voting tonight to expand the ground offensive in Lebanon and Israel radio reporting that Israel is already calling up more reserve forces. And Syria's president Bashar al- Assad, meanwhile, is telling his army to raise their readiness.
We are watching all of these breaking news stories very closely as Israel prepares to expand their ground war in southern Lebanon. Aid teams arrived at the Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, one day after pitched battles reduced much of the place to rubble.
During Israel's temporary suspension of some air operations today, journalists were able to get into the Hezbollah stronghold. Our Karl Penhaul is there with more. Karl?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, today we pushed down south to within a mile and a half of the Israeli border. We had heard many reports about intense fighting down there but today was the first chance to see things for ourselves.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PENHAUL (voice-over): A United Nations armored truck rolls out of its base. The mission, check out what remains of Bint Jbeil. The town the Israeli military dubs Hezbollah HQ or Rocket City. Judging by this monument to Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini and to Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah this town was fiercely loyal to Hezbollah. Now little is left.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are blasters (ph) in there.
PENHAUL: This is what's still standing on main street. Hard to imagine how anybody stranded here managed to survive such a ferocious Israeli bombardment but some did. Now Lebanese Red Cross volunteers are trying to ferry them out.
"We were hiding. I hid under my stairs and bombs fell on my house," Fatima Khadish (ph) tells me.
Seven-year-old Daida (ph) says she has been through three weeks of hell. Her house was bombed and she had to sleep outside. Now she finally has a ride to safety on a Red Cross stretcher. In the bombed out remains of Bint Jbeil hospital, Dr. Fuoad Tahar describes the intensity of the Israeli attack.
DR. FUOAD TAHAR, BINT JBEIL BOMBING WITNESS: In an hour and a half, we counted 350 or 360 bombs. PENHAUL: Amid a lull in the bombing, survivors picked their way through the ruins. Some have walked from nearby Maroun al-Ras, the first village to be invaded Israeli ground troops.
"Israeli soldiers came into my house and told me to put my hands up and sit on the floor." Three more people shuffle through the rubble of another street and when I ask them their names and this is what I hear.
MOHAMMAD BAZZI, BINT JBEIL RESIDENT: I'm American, I came here (ph).
PENHAUL: You are American?
BAZZI: Yes. My wife American.
PENHAUL: He pulls their passports from a plastic bag and adds ...
BAZZI: I have nine kids in Michigan.
PENHAUL: But he has no more time to chat. They're trying to reach the Red Cross vans and get evacuated.
(on camera): Bint Jbeil has seen some of the heaviest combat. It is here the Israeli military say they fought Hezbollah guerrillas door to door, hand to hand and window to window. But I met a man who said he was a Hezbollah fighter and told a different story. He declined to appear on camera but allowed me to hear his voice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here only shelling, (inaudible).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no military target. Even the fighters were not in town. The fighters are on the mountains.
PENHAUL: It's difficult to thoroughly check his claims but in the ruins I spotted no remains of Hezbollah rocket launchers or bullets. Only shrapnel from bombs and artillery rounds were including this one, unexploded with Hebrew on the side. The damage is worse than the U.N. observers expected.
KOJO OPANGR, U.N. OPERATIONS OFFICER: Coming to see Bint Jbeil today for the first time. It's a big change, I think, as you see here.
PENHAUL: Looking at the scale of the destruction. It's hard to imagine how it could have been any worse.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PENHAUL: Many other villages in that volatile border region may run the same risk if fighting continues. Wolf?
BLITZER: Karl Penhaul reporting for us from Bint Jbeil. Karl Penhaul reporting. One day after the Israeli military hit the Lebanese town of Qana, Israel has questions about what happened. But a question in an English language newspaper was headlined with this quote, "How many babies have to die now?"
Right now there's anger and outrage and an investigation into the Qana strike that left many innocent women and children dead. Details from CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.
Barbara?
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the weapons are supposed to be precision weapons, but the Israeli Defense Forces are still investigating what really happened in Qana.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STARR (voice-over): After the Israeli air strike on Qana that killed dozens of civilians, the prime minister apologized but the question is, how did it happen?
MARK REGEV, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN: I think we have to be that much more careful and I think we have to be very surgical, as much as we can be in fighting Hezbollah.
STARR: This Israeli military video shot before the Qana strike shows flashes from a rocket fired from behind what the Israelis say is an apartment building. Hezbollah's use of civilian areas as the Israelis say happen in Qana forces Israel to decide on the risk of killing Lebanese civilians every day. Israeli bombers and artillery quickly fire after a target is spotted. But this is a problem. Experts say somebody has to make the last-minute call that a strike should be called off if civilians are nearby.
MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: You are not going to eliminate Katyusha rockets stockpiles from the air and so therefore letting the occasional launcher go is OK. Even longer range rockets, if all you're doing is destroying a concrete pad or a small transporter vehicle, it may not always worth the risk.
STARR: And the larger the weapon, the more likely civilians will be hit by the explosions.
BRIG. GEN. JAMES MARKS, U.S. ARMY (RET): They dropped something that far exceeded in terms of blast effects of what was going to cause damage in the area.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR (on camera): The U.S. military is on the side lines but watching all of this very closely to see what it can learn from Israeli and Hezbollah tactics. Wolf?
BLITZER: Barbara, thank you very much.
We're following out of breaking news that's coming in, including Israeli security cabinet decision to expand the ground war in Lebanon. Only moments ago we got this video in from northern Israel. Watch and listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (inaudible)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir. Fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Looks like the artillery shelling from Israel into south Lebanon continuing, perhaps even escalating somewhat. At the same time we're getting reports that sirens are going off in northern Israel. Suspicious activity, perhaps that incoming Katyushas might be landing somewhere in northern Israel. We're watching all this and we will get you the latest as soon as we have it. We are also seeing some very strong angry reactions coming in from across the Middle East to the Israeli bombing in Qana.
Let's bring in our Internet reporter Abbi Tatton. Abbi?
ABBI TATTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, outrage on line in Lebanon. This video here of protests in Beirut at the site bloggingbeirut.com. One of those people who attended those protests in the Lebanese capital yesterday said he has never seen so many everyday Lebanese people so angry.
Also posting that he can only imagine that this will turn moderates towards Hezbollah. Amongst the Lebanese blogs that we've been monitoring in the last couple of weeks you see a lot of people calling this incident Qana II or Qana Again. That referring to an incident 10 years ago where Israeli shelling struck a U.N. base killing over 100 people.
Over this incident this weekend, the rage is clear online. This is a group blog in Lebanon posting headlines from around the world today. With the question, did the world get it at last? Wolf?
BLITZER: Abbi, thank you.
Up ahead, more on the breaking news. The Israeli security cabinet voting to expand the ground war and the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad telling his army to increase its readiness.
Also coming up, Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic rant. A DUI arrests lands him on the front lines of the culture wars and into rehab. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: We're following all of breaking news coming out of the Middle East. Israel's security cabinet voting tonight to expand the ground offensive in Lebanon. Israel radio reporting Israel calling up more reserves. Syria's president Bashar al Assad, meanwhile is telling his army to raise their readiness. This comes as Israel embarks on a fresh round of artillery attacks tonight in southern Lebanon and there are reports of air raid sirens happening right now in northern Israel and perhaps a sign of more incoming Katyusha rockets.
And we have just received this official photo from the White House. The secretary of state Condoleezza Rice meeting with the president right now at the White House, fresh from her trip into the Middle East. All that coming up.
Other important news we're following, including the actor Mel Gibson who has now entered an ongoing recovery program according to his publicist. Gibson was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of drunken driving. And in the culture wars tonight, there is potential fallout over Gibson's alleged anti-Semitic tirade.
CNN's Chris Lawrence is joining us now from L.A. Chris?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, right now the D.A. is considering whether to charge Mel Gibson with DUI but an even bigger problems are these allegations that he cursed Jews and disrespected a female deputy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE (voice-over): He's one of the biggest stars in world. A man whose movies made billions. But some in Hollywood think Mel Gibson's arrest and alleged slurs will cost him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one wants to touch this guy with a 10-foot poll. It's like where did this come from?
LAWRENCE: Gibson was arrested in Malibu for speeding and DUI. The Web site TMZ.com claims Gibson made offensive comments but that authorities allegedly changed an original police reports to remove those comment. TMZ alleges that Gibson made a sexist comment to a female officer about her breast and threatened to "get even" within the deputy who arrested him.
TMZ says Gibson spewed anti-Semitic statements including, quote, "F-ing Jews, the Jews are responsible for all the wars on the world."
TMZ writes that Gibson then turned to the arresting deputy and asked, quote, "Are you a Jew?" Some Jewish audiences criticize Gibson for his "Passion of Christ" film believing it blamed Jews for the murder of Jesus. Gibson's father was labeled a Holocaust denier after he said the Holocaust was mostly fiction. Mel Gibson's latest outbursts, if true, could cause some in Hollywood to sever ties with the actor.
MICHAEL SPEIER, "VARIETY": They might say, I think he needs to be ostracized from the community because he really does believe this.
LAWRENCE: Gibson did not specifically address the alleged comments in a written statement. Gibson admitted he, quote, "said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said and I apologize to anyone who I have offended."
Some Jewish leaders are in no mood to accept that apology, especially when it comes to a TV mini series Gibson was developing about the Holocaust.
RABBI MARVIN HIER, SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER: He has shown that he's insensitive to about Jews and he should step aside and let somebody else direct and produce that film.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE: The head of the Jewish Anti-Defamation League harshly criticized the alleged comments but others say that Gibson has built up a lot of support in the Christian community and that the managing editor at "Variety" told me if his next films make a lot of money, it would go a long way to helping him being forgiven. Wolf?
BLITZER: Chris, thanks very much.
Let's check in with Paula, see what's coming up at the top of the hour. Paula?
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, thanks so much, Wolf.
Tonight, we're going look at the question of why some evangelical Christians see the fighting in the Middle East as the prelude to Armageddon and possibly the end of the world. We are going to look at what the Book of Revelations actually has to say and discuss it with a top story panel that includes the Reverend Jerry Falwell. That ought to be interesting, Wolf. Please join us.
BLITZER: Thank you very much, Paula.
Let's check in with Jack Cafferty for the "Cafferty File."
CAFFERTY: Senator John McCain's youngest son has joined the Marines. "Time Magazine" reporting Jimmy McCain begins basic training September. Depending on which unit he joins, he could be in Iraq within a year. So the question occurred to us. Would the U.S. attitude toward war be any different of more politicians kids served in the military?
Cat in Augusta, Georgia. "That's the problem. Politicians believe they're immune to everything that happens in this world. If their children were involved in the war, you can bet things would be different. Maybe that's what it would take."
Becki in Culpeper, Virginia. "Come on, Jack. You can give us a tougher question than that. If their children were in harm's way, who would we have at home to dodge military service, fill the tabloid's coverage pages and be the next generation of politicians?"
Brian in Trout Creek, Montana. "Yes, Jack. If politicians children had to serve, there would be a whole let less wars and a whole lot more negotiations. I'd like to see Jenna and Barbara Bush packed off to Iraq post haste." Peter in Ontario. "I've got my doubts it would make a lot of difference. They would make political hay out of the fact that their kids joined the military and if they were wounded or killed then that poll would take on a moral fervor that would play even better in Peoria. I think the only thing that might cool their jets is if they had to go."
John in Manassas, Virginia. "Don't just stop with the military, Jack. Imagine if the children of our politicians were on Medicaid or victims of public school education or working for minimum wage or, worse yet, members of the real middle class. What a different world this might be."
And Danny in California. "Politicians kids in the war? Yeah, they'll fight right next to Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny."
If you didn't see your e-mail here, go to cnn.com/caffertyfile. You can read more of these online. Wolf?
BLITZER: See you tomorrow, Jack. Thanks very much. Let's go to Paula in New York. Paula?
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