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CNN Sunday Morning
Sharon Vows Retaliation for This Morning's Bus Bombing
Aired August 04, 2002 - 07:43 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is vowing retaliation for this morning's deadly bus attack in northern Israel that we've been telling you about this morning.
LARRY SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, the blast comes days after Hamas claimed responsibility for bombing Jerusalem's Hebrew University. CNN's Jerrold Kessel joins us now from Jerusalem with more reaction.
Good morning, Justin -- or I'm sorry, Jerrold, sorry.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Larry. That's OK. Good morning, Larry. And even as the focus is on that latest terror outrage in northern Israel, there have been two other incidents, the latest just in the last half hour or so in the West Bank, a shooting on Israeli vehicle. And three people have been wounded, one in serious condition. Before that, just as the word was coming in of the implications of that bus bombing in northern Israel, a shooting incident here in Jerusalem in the eastern part of the city, just outside the World Old (ph) city. A young 19-year old Palestinian shot an Israeli security guard in a telecommunications truck, killed the Israeli man. Israeli border policeman in the -- patrolling the area shot the Palestinian -- young Palestinian gunman dead. And in subsequent, there was a shooting incident there that had broken out as they shot that man.
There were 14 people hurt and also a Palestinian bystander killed in that shoot-out. All three people dying. And this shoot-out in Jerusalem started when the Palestinian gunman started his shooting attack.
But the focus was very much on that bus attack in northern Israel. Nine people killed and over 50 wounded, two of whom are in critical condition, another 10 in serious condition. Hamas, the militant Islamic group, claiming responsibility. The Israeli police believe it was a suicide bomber, but they're not absolutely categorically sure. And it may have been a bomb placed aboard the buses that drew up to a bus stop just outside the town of Safed in Galilee.
And the news came in just as the government of Ariel Sharon was setting down for its weekly session. Mr. Sharon said very firmly that I will ask the defense minister, he said to make a brief statement about how since terrorists continuing, we he said, Mr. Sharon, will have to continue fighting terror in every way possible. But this latest attack flies in the face of Israeli -- fierce Israeli action that is continuing in the West Bank town of Nablus, where Israeli forces have been in the heart of the old city of Nablus, trying to root out Hamas infrastructure there, and also Israeli forces blowing up the homes of nine previous Palestinian suicide bombers in various places around the West Bank. Israel trying very hard to find answers to the ongoing bombing campaign. And we also heard the reaction of a leading aide of Prime Minister Sharon to today's attack in Galilee.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DORE GOLD, ISRAELI GOVT. SPOKESMAN: Well, this despicable attack against Israeli civilians is just the latest in a series of attacks that the people of Israel have had to endure specifically from the Hamas organization, attacks that were planned, for the most part, even before Mr. Shadaye (ph) was eliminated in the Gaza Strip.
KESSEL: Now Israel have been undertaking various actions, including a major operation in the heart of the old city of Nablus on the West Bank, which Israel is saying is a Hamas stronghold. Israel is undertaking these various actions to blow up the homes of suicide bombers. Yet the bombers keep coming. What should be done? What can be done?
GOLD: Well, you know, Israel was involved in the very serious campaign against terrorism in its operation Defense Shield just a few months ago, but much of the international community was very impatient.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KESSEL: Well, that, the Israeli reaction. And we also heard from a leading Palestinian cabinet minister, Nabil Sha'th, talking to us from Gaza.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NABIL SHA'TH, PAL. CABINET MINISTER: Well, the violence is especially against civilians, whether there is Israelis are Palestinians is despicable. And we have condemned it, and will continue to condemn it, but Israeli in the West Bank is in full control. It is -- they are the occupier of every city and village. It has the full security charge. And it has been devastating people. Killing children is just collateral damage when they are Palestinians. And when it's Israelis, it's different. Some sort of a difference here that has to be stopped.
No killing of civilians, Israelis or Palestinians. And let's proceed to the negotiating table and to the end of occupation as soon as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KESSEL: Well, despite those fierce words, the most interesting thing, perhaps to come out of the cabinet minister -- cabinet meeting this morning here in Jerusalem is that we're hearing word that despite the fact that Israel will continue its fierce military response to try to root out terror, there is word that Mr. Sharon and his defense minister, Mr. Ben Eliazar, plan to go ahead with proposed meetings with leading Palestinian cabinet ministers, to try to find a way out of the ongoing attack and counterattacks and the various elements of controlling terror. So that's interesting news indeed out of the Jerusalem cabinet meeting this morning, despite that terror attack in Galilee this morning -- Larry.
SMITH: Good news, indeed. Thank you very much. CNN's Jerrold Kessel reporting from Jerusalem.
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