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CNN Sunday Morning
Attack on Israeli Military Checkpoint Leaves 4 Dead
Aired June 08, 2003 - 11:00 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 ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. More on our top story, today's deadly attack on an Israeli military checkpoint. We begin in Jerusalem, and that's where our Mike Hanna is keeping track of the developments. Mike?
MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Fredricka, this attack the most deadly since Prime Minister Abbas, Palestinian prime minister, Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, held a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday.
In the early hours of the morning, three Palestinians, reportedly disguised as Israeli soldiers, crept up on the Erez crossing point, this a crossing point between Israel and Gaza. They opened fire on Israeli soldiers, killing three of them and wounding four. At least a number of the wounded are in hospital receiving treatment at this particular stage. The three Palestinian gunmen themselves were killed during the resultant firefight.
In an unusual move, three Palestinian militant groups have claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that it was carried out on a joint basis. This is Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade issuing a joint statement saying they were responsible, saying this confirms the opposition to the implementation of the road map; the opposition, too, to their Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas's pledge to end violence and to end the armed intifadah, as he described it.
So for Mahmoud Abbas now, a major problem. He had pledged both the Israelis and the U.S. that he would put an end to the ongoing violence, that he would be able to negotiate a cease-fire with militant groups. Clearly militant groups have no interest whatsoever in doing so. But from the Palestinian authority still the insistence that it will forge ahead with its attempts to get a cease-fire in place on the ground. It is still ready to meet its obligations in terms of the implementation of that road map -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Mike, isn't it the case that the Palestinian Authority was supposed to resume some cease-fire talks this week? And if so, will that still take place? And who will be involved, if so?
HANNA: Well, it's all a very confusing situation. At the moment, the Hamas group announced Friday that it would no longer hold any form of discussion with the Palestinian authority. The Palestinian Authority says this is not the case, Hamas cannot unilaterally do that. However, Hamas is meeting other militant groups, such as Islamic Jihad, on an ongoing basis. The Palestinian authority says it is still intent on negotiating a cease-fire with these militant groups.
From Israel's side, though, the absolute insistence that they are not looking for a negotiated cease-fire, they want the Palestinian authority to clamp down on these militant groups. And we've heard in the course of the day from an Israeli government spokesman that if the Palestinian authority does not, then they will be forced to do so. So major, major stumbling blocks in the drive to implement this road map, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Indeed. Mike Hanna from Jerusalem, thank you.
Well, just four days ago President Bush promoted this peace in the region at the Aqaba summit. So let's check in on reaction from the administration on today's events. And for that we go to Chris Burns again -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Well, the president's due back from his quiet weekend in Camp David, this afternoon he's coming back. Condoleezza Rice, his national security adviser, has been speaking about those attacks on -- during her talk shows circuit during this Sunday.
And among the comments that she made was she says she believes that there will be, or it is no doubt that there will be groups that will try to scuttle this Middle East peace process. And that this attack does come at a very critical time, when Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, is trying to rein in those Palestinian groups. And she says that the biggest hope that the Palestinians and the rest of the world can have in trying to push ahead this peace process is to give Mahmoud Abbas a bit more breathing room.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: This is the best chance that the Palestinian people have had for statehood and for an enduring peace for a very long time. Everyone needs to be supportive of what Prime Minister Abbas is trying to do. It was really a quite remarkable statement that the armed intifadah needs to end. It was a remarkable statement that he accepts that a two-state solution also has to have a place for Israel.
He is a remarkable man. He's put together a remarkable government. And he deserves the support of the entire international community.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Now, that commitment made by Mahmoud Abbas was made during that Red Sea summit on Wednesday between President Bush and the Palestinian and Israeli prime ministers. The Palestinian prime minister having committed himself to reining in the Palestinian militants. And on the Israeli side, a commitment to start dismantling the unauthorized Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, which has yet to happen, but the Israelis say that they will be pushing through with that very soon. So the commitments on both sides remain there, but obviously this is a very, very big test, especially for Palestinian Prime Minister Abbas. And it does appear that the White House does want to give as much support as they can to him, and as much time as possible for him to try to push through with that. But obviously, the big question is, can he rein them in without trying to crack down on them? Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. Chris Burns from the White House, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 8, 2003 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. More on our top story, today's deadly attack on an Israeli military checkpoint. We begin in Jerusalem, and that's where our Mike Hanna is keeping track of the developments. Mike?
MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Fredricka, this attack the most deadly since Prime Minister Abbas, Palestinian prime minister, Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, held a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday.
In the early hours of the morning, three Palestinians, reportedly disguised as Israeli soldiers, crept up on the Erez crossing point, this a crossing point between Israel and Gaza. They opened fire on Israeli soldiers, killing three of them and wounding four. At least a number of the wounded are in hospital receiving treatment at this particular stage. The three Palestinian gunmen themselves were killed during the resultant firefight.
In an unusual move, three Palestinian militant groups have claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that it was carried out on a joint basis. This is Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade issuing a joint statement saying they were responsible, saying this confirms the opposition to the implementation of the road map; the opposition, too, to their Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas's pledge to end violence and to end the armed intifadah, as he described it.
So for Mahmoud Abbas now, a major problem. He had pledged both the Israelis and the U.S. that he would put an end to the ongoing violence, that he would be able to negotiate a cease-fire with militant groups. Clearly militant groups have no interest whatsoever in doing so. But from the Palestinian authority still the insistence that it will forge ahead with its attempts to get a cease-fire in place on the ground. It is still ready to meet its obligations in terms of the implementation of that road map -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Mike, isn't it the case that the Palestinian Authority was supposed to resume some cease-fire talks this week? And if so, will that still take place? And who will be involved, if so?
HANNA: Well, it's all a very confusing situation. At the moment, the Hamas group announced Friday that it would no longer hold any form of discussion with the Palestinian authority. The Palestinian Authority says this is not the case, Hamas cannot unilaterally do that. However, Hamas is meeting other militant groups, such as Islamic Jihad, on an ongoing basis. The Palestinian authority says it is still intent on negotiating a cease-fire with these militant groups.
From Israel's side, though, the absolute insistence that they are not looking for a negotiated cease-fire, they want the Palestinian authority to clamp down on these militant groups. And we've heard in the course of the day from an Israeli government spokesman that if the Palestinian authority does not, then they will be forced to do so. So major, major stumbling blocks in the drive to implement this road map, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Indeed. Mike Hanna from Jerusalem, thank you.
Well, just four days ago President Bush promoted this peace in the region at the Aqaba summit. So let's check in on reaction from the administration on today's events. And for that we go to Chris Burns again -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Well, the president's due back from his quiet weekend in Camp David, this afternoon he's coming back. Condoleezza Rice, his national security adviser, has been speaking about those attacks on -- during her talk shows circuit during this Sunday.
And among the comments that she made was she says she believes that there will be, or it is no doubt that there will be groups that will try to scuttle this Middle East peace process. And that this attack does come at a very critical time, when Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, is trying to rein in those Palestinian groups. And she says that the biggest hope that the Palestinians and the rest of the world can have in trying to push ahead this peace process is to give Mahmoud Abbas a bit more breathing room.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: This is the best chance that the Palestinian people have had for statehood and for an enduring peace for a very long time. Everyone needs to be supportive of what Prime Minister Abbas is trying to do. It was really a quite remarkable statement that the armed intifadah needs to end. It was a remarkable statement that he accepts that a two-state solution also has to have a place for Israel.
He is a remarkable man. He's put together a remarkable government. And he deserves the support of the entire international community.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Now, that commitment made by Mahmoud Abbas was made during that Red Sea summit on Wednesday between President Bush and the Palestinian and Israeli prime ministers. The Palestinian prime minister having committed himself to reining in the Palestinian militants. And on the Israeli side, a commitment to start dismantling the unauthorized Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, which has yet to happen, but the Israelis say that they will be pushing through with that very soon. So the commitments on both sides remain there, but obviously this is a very, very big test, especially for Palestinian Prime Minister Abbas. And it does appear that the White House does want to give as much support as they can to him, and as much time as possible for him to try to push through with that. But obviously, the big question is, can he rein them in without trying to crack down on them? Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. Chris Burns from the White House, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
