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CNN Sunday Morning
Syrians Show Support for Palestinian Uprisings Against Israel
Aired March 24, 2002 - 10:03 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: Earlier this morning on CNN "SUNDAY MORNING" we talked about the Middle East situation with a couple of people who watch it astutely. There is little common ground in how they view a potential meeting between Cheney and Arafat.
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HUSSEIN IBISH, AMERICAN ARAB ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE: I think if we're serious about bringing this conflict to an end, if we're serious about dealing with it, of course we have to talk to both sides. We can't be talking only to the Israelis and not to the Palestinians when there's a conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
CLIFF MAY, FOUNDATION FOR THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: We cannot reward terrorism and until and unless Arafat gives up terrorism, which apparently he has not done, there is no way that Cheney can violate that principle. We don't negotiate with the Taliban. We don't negotiate with al Qaeda. We can't negotiate with Arafat as long as people who report to him are committing acts of blatant and terrible terrorism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: While we were talking, U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni, who is the envoy to the region for the United States is in the midst of trying to continue discussions with Israeli and Palestinian security representatives, we're waiting for word on how that meeting goes.
Washington would like some kind of deal in hand when the Arab League Summit convenes later this week -- a deal for a cease-fire that is. Just days before that Arab Summit, tens of thousands of Syrians jammed the streets of Damascus today. They were showing their support for the Palestinian uprising against the Israelis and they warned against any U.S. strike against Iraq.
CNN's Rula Amin picks up the story from there.
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RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From Beirut, a call for Arab (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and even unity with Iraq and strong opposition to any potential U.S. attack against Baghdad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): They are targeting Iraq as a country, not the regime, this man says.
AMIN: The U.S. says Iraq is part of an axis of evil and is developing weapons of mass destruction -- something must be done.
In downtown on Main Jordan (ph) skepticism and concern.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Whoever hits Iraq today will hit (UNINTELLIGIBLE) tomorrow says this driver. We don't trust Americans.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Another man says we really have to join forces against an attack on Iraq regardless of whether Saddam Hussein is good or bad.
LABEEB QAMHAWI, POLITICAL ANALYST: People are looking at what might happen to Iraq as an issue of national security and not (UNINTELLIGIBLE) anymore. So there's a general apprehension about American intentions (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this part of the world and even Saudis or Kuwaitis are not able but to take a definite public stand against any attack on Iraq because they feel that if they allow this to happen, their own security would be compromised (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
AMIN: But the U.S. argues it's Saddam Hussein who's a threat to his neighbors. U.S. officials are trying to get Arab leaders to support their next move on Iraq.
But even those neighbors with a long history of animosity and rivalry with Iraqi leader just won't lend their support for an attack against Baghdad. Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia told CNN he doesn't believe the U.S. can overcome Saddam Hussein. And so any attack would only further hurt the Iraqi people already suffering under 10 years of U.N. sanctions, and would destabilize the region.
WALEED JUNBLAT, LEBANESE POLITICIAN: Somewhere behind the curtains I think everybody would like to get rid of Saddam Hussein, but they are afraid of the dismantling of Iraq, the petition of Iraq, and this could be a big and major issue for the Arab world and very (UNINTELLIGIBLE) issue.
AMIN: Making things harder for U.S. efforts to get Arab leaders on board is the ongoing confrontation between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
RIYAD TABARRA, LEBANESE ANALYST: Not one Arab country, not even Kuwait, agreed on a strike against Iraq. One, they, you know, their people see on television everyday the killing of Palestinians by Israelis with American arms (ph). Israel has all the weapons of mass destruction. Of course, people make that connection. Why the double standard?
AMIN: Arab leaders set to meet here on Wednesday are caught between pressure from their own streets to support Iraq and its ruling regime and between growing pressure from the United States to help remove that same regime.
Rula Amin, CNN, Beirut. (END VIDEOTAPE)
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