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CNN Sunday Morning

Sharon Wants to Keep Pressure on Arafat, off Self

Aired May 12, 2002 - 10:10   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: Israel is backing off any military action for now in Gaza. Troops had been massing at the border to Gaza, preparing to retaliate for a suicide bomb last week that left 15 Israelis dead. As our Jerrold Kessel reports, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon wants to keep that pressure on Yasser Arafat and off himself.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ariel Sharon still calling the shots, or now more and more under the gun? The Israeli prime minister briefed his cabinet about his meeting with President Bush in Washington, where he declared Israel would react forcibly to last week's Palestinian suicide bombing, which killed 15 Israelis.

But for now, a muted, large-scale military offensive in Gaza won't happen. Military sources confirm some of the reserve soldiers who had been especially called up are now being sent home. Talking to CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Israel's defense minister explained the backtrack.

BENJAMIN BEN -ELIEZER, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER: I am waiting to give a chance and to wait. That if tonight something like this would happen, I would keep quiet, but we made all our way in the last year. We are ready to give any chance to the peace process. If someone in the other side will all his (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

KESSEL: A variety of reasons are given for the calling off of the thrust into Gaza. Details of the military operation, concern there would be heavy casualties on both sides, and international pressure.

Aides say Mr. Sharon himself did a rethink because a full blown military operation might have switched international pressure from Yasser Arafat to him. That's particularly pertinent when top flight Arab leaders are trying to make the next phase of confrontation diplomatic rather than military. They have indicated they intend to prod the Palestinian leader in that direction. Within Israel, a different challenge to the flurry of diplomatic movement and to Mr. Sharon. Four ultranationalist Jewish settlers are being held by Israeli police. Their supporters gathered outside the police station where the four are being held on suspicion of planning to attack a Palestinian school and hospital in East Jerusalem by blowing up this vehicle laden within explosives police had intercepted. The Israeli left if seeking to make its mark on the prime minister too. For the first time in more than two years, a mass demonstration, not so much for peace now, as for Israel to think of withdrawing from the West Bank and Gaza, even if there is no peace agreement with the Palestinians. They contend here it's in Israel's interest to get out.

Mr. Sharon has a more immediate showdown to face, however. His declared major offensive against terror in the West Bank won him wide public backing and he can still command broad support within his national unity government. But he no longer commands this kind of adulation or automatic support within his own Likud Party, now his Achilles Heel.

Indeed, Mr. Sharon has his back to the wall, and his challengers within Likud are seeking to push him into still tighter a corner when the main decision-making body convenes Sunday evening.

(on camera): On the table, a proposal by Mr. Sharon's main challenger, the former prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. He wants the party to restate its adamant and absolute opposition to a Palestinian state. In the past, Mr. Sharon has said he would accept a Palestinian state as part of a future peace. His party, he argues, would be sabotaging national interests by tying his hands in this way, at this time.

Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Jerusalem.

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