Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Death Toll Rising in Middle East
Aired March 03, 2002 - 11:05 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the Middle East this weekend, the violence has escalated and the death toll is rising. Since Saturday there has been bloodshed in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Gaza. CNN's Jerrold Kessel has the latest from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The Israeli dead laid out behind the wire of the military checkpoint where Palestinian gunmen or possibly a lone gunman launched the early morning ambush from the overlooking hill.
Most of the dead, soldiers manning the checkpoint, but also Israeli civilians traveling in convoy from nearby Jewish settlements who were passing through the checkpoint.
Another attack, more Israeli casualties at a checkpoint crossing from the Gaza strip into Israel. Within hours, fierce Israeli retaliation, bombardment of a number of Palestinian positions. At least four Palestinian policemen killed and more than 20 Palestinians wounded in the series of Israeli attacks.
Helicopters had earlier pummeled Palestinian police positions in the wake of a devastating suicide bombing Saturday night in the heart of Jerusalem. Claiming responsibility for both the early morning attacks and the previous evening suicide attack in an ultra-orthodox Jewish neighborhood, the (inaudible) brigade, an armed offshoot of Yasser Arafat's own mainstream fata movement.
Among the dead here, an Israeli mother and father and their two small children, their cousins, a sister and a brother, and a mother and her infant son. The Palestinian Authority says it worries about the dangerous escalation.
SAEB ERAKAT, PALESTINIAN CABINET MINISTER: I don't think we have seen the worst yet, and I don't know how many more Palestinians dying and Israeli dying to convince this Israeli government that the communications with the Palestinians should not be through the language of the tank and F-16 and the siege and the (inaudible). We need to resume a meaningful negotiation.
KESSEL: But as Israelis were taking up (inaudible), some Palestinians were exalting. Palestinian groups had vowed to avenge the major incursion by Israeli troops into two West Bank refugee camps in pursuit of militants. Twenty-three Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers were killed in three days of fierce fighting.
The Israeli troops are now out of the camps, but continue to surround them, as two big questions face the Sharon government. Did, as some of his domestic critics suggest, the incursion into the refugee camps help precipitate the deadly Palestinian attack? And whether Israel should pursue a new strategy towards Yasser Arafat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arafat delegated power to the gangs and the gangs undermined and eroded his authority. That's why the Palestinian Authority now is so weak and maybe close to collapse. We are not interested in replacing Arafat with full control of terror organizations and gangs over the West Bank and Gaza.
KESSEL: But some on the right flank of the unity government are pushing hard to replace Yasser Arafat.
(on camera): Prime Minister Sharon is convening his inner security cabinet to map out whether there will be a change in policy. According to the best estimate of cabinet sources, the Israeli approach is unlikely to change dramatically. Continued tough responses to Palestinian attacks only much tougher.
Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: From Washington, the Bush Administration is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East. CNN's Senior White House Correspondent John King joins us this morning with the President's reaction. Good morning, John.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Fredricka, and once again a great sense of frustration here at the White House, after a little bit of optimism last week, a new diplomatic effort to try to see if a new Saudi peace proposal could at least bring about a ceasefire between the Israelis and the Palestinians. This weekend though of deadly violence causing more frustration in the administration.
Mr. Bush is up at Camp David, due back at the White House a little bit later this afternoon. We are told he was briefed on the latest violence as part of his daily routine national security briefing. Mr. Bush will deal with this issue directly in the days ahead.
The Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the United States to urge a much greater U.S. role in trying to bring about a ceasefire between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Mr. Mubarak is already here, staying across the street at Blair House, the official U.S. Government guest house. He will meet with Mr. Bush on Tuesday, and we are told his first priority is to try to get this President to exert more U.S. pressure on the Israeli leader, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
At the same time though, we are told Mr. Bush will tell President Mubarak, Arab leaders must pressure Yasser Arafat to end the violence. So, more diplomacy in the weeks, in the days ahead, excuse me, a great sense of frustration because of this deadly weekend violence. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And, John, in effect how was the White House responding to the Saudi Arabian peace proposal, which is asking for the Arab world to normalize its relations with Israel?
KING: The administration initially quite cool to the Saudi proposal, now embracing it, not as an immediate breakthrough; no one expecting that because Israel has rejected key elements of the Saudi plan. It is a class land-for-peace arrangement. The Saudis say that if Israel pulls back from all occupied territory implying, the language is not clear yet, implying a pull back to the June, 1967 borders, which means give up the Gaza Strip, give up the West Bank, give up the Golan Heights.
If Israel did that, the Arab world would normalize relations with Israel. Prime Minister Sharon has said he is not prepared to do that. He says that would endanger Israel's security. What President Mubarak and other Arab leaders want is for Mr. Bush to put pressure on the Prime Minister and say, this is a serious proposal. "You must deescalate the violence. You must pull back some."
That is the give and take right now between the U.S. administration, which previously has been so critical of Yasser Arafat, and Arab leaders who say it is time for Mr. Bush to also put pressure on the Israeli government.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks very much John King from the White House 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
