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CNN Sunday Morning

Conflict in Middle East Continues Unabated

Aired December 09, 2001 - 07:11   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.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: The conflict in the Middle East goes on unabated. For the second weekend in a row, there has been a suicide bomb attack in Haifa, Israel. This time the bomber is the only one killed. The attack comes as New York's mayor, mayor-elect and governor are all in Jerusalem.

CNN's senior international correspondent Sheila MacVicar is live in Jerusalem with the very latest -- Sheila.

SHEILA MACVICAR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Jeanne.

AT the time when Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat is under extreme pressure to crack down on those who would commit or plan acts of terror, another suicide bombing this morning in the Israeli coastal city of Haifa. Sunday, of course, being the beginning of Israel's workweek. This was a crowded bus stop. Many young Israeli soldiers returning back to their bases after weekend leave.

Apparently, the suicide bomber was seen by policemen there. As they called out to him, he detonated his explosives. Police say they believe his intent had perhaps been to board a bus.

Now, the suicide bomber, as you said, the only one killed there. Twenty-eight others apparently lightly wounded.

Now there, as yet, has been no claim of responsibility. No group has said that they have carried out this attack. But the Palestinian Authority has issued a statement condemning the attack. A statement issued over the name of Yasser Arafat.

Now, this kind of statement will in no way do anything to ease the concerns of Israeli Prime Minister Sharon. Prime Minister Sharon, today, holding his regular weekly Cabinet Ministry meeting not in Jerusalem, where they normally take place, but right in Yasser Arafat's backyard, if you will, on an Israeli base on occupied territory just outside of his headquarters in Ramallah.

Now, at that meeting, knowing of the Haifa suicide bombing this morning, the prime minister said that it appeared that Israel would have to step up its military activity, saying, quote, "We're not done and it appears that we will have to intensify our activities."

Now, there's still an ongoing Israel defense force action taking place in the West Bank right now. An action that so far has left four Palestinian policemen dead in what can only be described as disputed circumstances.

Israeli forces, when going into these villages this morning to try to crack down on what they call the infrastructure of terror, they were looking for a bomb-making factory. They say that they have found one with explosives prepared even belts, they say, ready for suicide bombers. Twenty-five people arrested there.

Now, later today we're going to see another meeting, a trilateral security meeting here. That's a meeting that will be convened by the U.S. envoy, General Zinni. He'll get together with the Israelis and the Palestinians to discuss security matters. And at meetings like this -- the last one on Friday was very tense, as you might imagine.

Now all of this, of course, on a day when we have, as you said, the mayor-elect of New York, Michael Bloomberg, Mayor Giuliani and the governor of New York State, George Pataki, here in the city, a visit that they say is designed to show solidarity with the Israeli people.

Now, these American dignitaries have been out on a tour around the city. They've been taken to a number of the locations -- recent locations where there have been suicide bombings. They've been greeted very warmly. They said they wanted the Israeli people to know the people in the United States are with them -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Sheila MacVicar in Jerusalem, thank you for that report.

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