Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Violence Once Again Rocks Middle East

Aired April 22, 2001 - 09:06   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it's been another bloody day in the Middle East. Two people were killed and dozens more injured in a suicide bomb attack just outside Tel Aviv.

CNN's Jerrold Kessel reports on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's not the first bomb at the start of the working week here, and now Israeli's Sunday morning fears have been aroused anew.

As bus number 29 headed for Tel Aviv arrived at a stop, an explosion just behind the vehicle. This man, who gave his name as Horry (ph), was a witness from across the road in his apartment, where his mother and aunt were later being treated for shock.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (via interpreter): The bomber was waiting for the bus. Many people were waiting at this stop. As the bus pulled in, he simply blew himself up. It was a huge blast.

KESSEL: A 53-year-old man was killed along, Israeli police say, with the suicide bomber himself. Ambulances were quickly on the scene, ferrying to hospitals the 36 injured.

The casualties, among people both on and off the bus, include a 14-year-old boy whose condition is reported as very serious.

It's the latest in a series of bombings in and around this typical Israeli town. It lies northeast of Tel Aviv, only a short distance away from Israel's border with the West Bank.

RA'ANAN GISSIN, SHARON SPOKESMAN: The responsibility lies squarely on the shoulder of the Palestinian authority. They are the ones who release from prison those who probably conducted the recent car bombing.

KESSEL: The bomb exploded just as Prime Minister Sharon had convened his security cabinet to address Israeli policy on the escalating confrontation with the Palestinians only hours earlier. And the U.S., prodding top Israeli and Palestinian security chiefs, had again met after several postponements.

No immediate indication of who was behind this bomb, though. Militant Islamic groups have claimed responsibility for previous such attacks inside Israeli towns. Palestinian officials reject Israel's pinning of blame on Mr. Arafat's authority.

ZIAD ABU ZAYYAD, PALESTINIAN CABINET MINISTER: On principle, we condemn any attack on civilians, whether they are Israelis or Palestinians. But, unfortunately, the policy of the current government, of the Israeli government, is encouraged extremism and violence, because they themselves, they are causing a lot of damage and casualties between Palestinians and civilians and, as such, they are pushing Palestinians to our extremes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KESSEL: Each side is reacting to the various forms of the now ingrained violence by digging in it's heels on it's declared principles and the question is, if they continue to adhere adamantly to those principles, will they be able to find the way to control the escalating violence for which each side continues to blame the other -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Alright, Jerrold Kessel, thank you so much.

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