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CNN Sunday Morning

Arafat Strikes Defiant Note on Islamic Holiday

Aired December 16, 2001 - 09:21   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: On to the Middle East. In about an hour and 40 minutes time, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is to make what could be a pivotal speech, and global leaders are hoping Arafat will take a giant step down the road for peace in the Middle East.

Our Jerrold Kessel has the latest from Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the day of a major policy address to his people about the pressure on his Palestinian Authority, a defiant note struck by Yasser Arafat, who attended prayers marking the state of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which ends the Ramadan holy month.

Afterwards, the Palestinian leader spoke about his anticipation of things to come.

"The Palestinian people" said Mr. Arafat "should be patient because in the end, they would achieve what they want." And he went on, "I'm telling the Arab nation, I'm telling the Islamic nation, Jerusalem is calling for you. The Holy mosques are calling for you. Those blessed places" said Mr. Arafat "we will protect them. We will defend them."

Mr. Arafat's police have been in action, shutting down more than two dozen offices affiliated with the militant Islamic organizations Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The Palestinian leader has been under intense international pressure to dismantle the radical groups whose series of deadly strikes have killed more than 40 Israelis over the past month.

Marking the Jewish holiday of Hannukah, Israel's Foreign Minister says he's still waiting to see how serious Mr. Arafat is about controlling the militants.

SHIMON PERES, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER: Until now, Hamas is taking over from the hands of the PLO. They are the ones who decide the agenda. The are the ones who decide what should be done or who should be killed, and I think it is for the Palestinian Authority to assert itself as the responsible authority.

KESSEL: By Mr. Peres is also challenging the conception of his prime minister, that Arafat has become irrelevant. "The more irrelevant you try to make him, the more relevant you may make him," the Israeli Foreign Minister said.

At the start of their weekly meeting, Israeli ministers marked their National Culture Week, by reading out poems of their choice. Ariel Sharon's choice of an ultra-nationalist poet leaves no doubt he has no doubt about the course he's pursuing.

"Even if the enemy manages to cut many of us down" quoted Mr. Sharon, "deliver bitter blows, we will not bow down, nor change."

No casualties reported in the latest Israeli air strikes against Palestinian police positions in Gaza overnight, but Israeli troops have killed at least 13 Palestinians since Friday, most during a two- day sweep for suspected militants across the West Bank and Gaza, in which over 60 people were detained.

Many guns and gunmen in evidence at a Gaza funeral Sunday morning. The escalating situation has, at least for now, curtailed the U.S. mediation mission of retired Marine General Anthony Zinni. And that leaves the two sides eying each other with greater suspicion than ever, as two other processes take shape.

Yasser Arafat's moves against the radical Palestinian groups and the Israeli army's vigorous offensive against the same organizations.

Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Jerusalem.

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