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CNN Sunday Morning

Palestinian Gunmen Ambush, Kill Israelis

Aired June 08, 2003 - 10:29   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: Now more on our top story, the ambush of Israeli troops in Gaza. CNN's Jerrold Kessel is keeping track of the story in Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Disguised as Israeli soldiers, the three Palestinian gunmen infiltrated an Israeli army post that was guarding the area's crossing point. The attack took place as thousands of Palestinian workers were there preparing to cross to day jobs inside Israel.

Unusually, the three leading Palestinian militant groups took joint responsibility for the attack. That includes the group linked to the mainstream Fatah movement of Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas is again taking the lead.

ABDEL AZZIZ RANTISSI, HAMAS SPOKESMAN: It is a good message to the Palestinian facility that we are, as Palestinians with option of resistance not -- we aren't with the option of surrender in front of the pressures of Israelis and United States of America.

KESSEL: President Bush has said there can be no progress on the road map to peace until attacks on Israelis stop. And the Israeli government has warned that if the Palestinian Authority won't fight terror, it will go on doing so.

But even after the lethal attack, the Israelis indicate they are aware of Mr. Abbas's predicament, though he is at a critical crossroads, says a top aide to the Israeli prime minister.

RA'ANAN GISSIN, SENIOR SHARON AIDE: I think the real decision has to be taken by the Palestinian government and by the Palestinian prime minister. It's -- what is at stake here is not only the safety of Israeli citizens, but the future of the Palestinian people.

KESSEL: But Hamas feels confident in challenging abbes because many ordinary Palestinians are also not pleased with the conciliatory tone he struck at the Aqaba summit. And on Friday, the militant groups broke off talks with Mr. Abbas about a cease fire.

Despite this latest attack, the Palestinian prime minister insists a truce must be worked out.

MAHMOUD ABBAS, PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER: (through translator): We have no option but to negotiate to reach our goal. We want to calm the situation, not a civil war. No one can force us to begin an internal Palestinian conflict.

KESSEL: For now, however, Mr. Abbas is postponing a trip from the West Bank to Gaza to meet heads of the various militant groups.

Ariel Sharon also has trouble at home. Many in his Likud Party object to his commitments under the peace road map, his endorsement of a Palestinian state and his promise to begin dismantling some settlement outposts.

KESSEL (on camera): After the Aqaba summit, it seemed that Washington's immediate concern was whether the Israeli prime minister would meet his obligations. Now it seems the focus will be on this violent challenge by the Palestinian militants and how the Palestinian prime minister handles that challenge. Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, is this latest round of violence a major bump on the U.S.-backed road map to peace? The White House already this morning is reacting to the situation this morning, and CNN's Chris Burns is at the White House. And what's being said there, Chris?

CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka. Well, Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser, is saying that there is no doubt that groups like Hamas and others will try to scuttle this peace process.

But both sides, the Israelis and the Palestinians, have obligations they have to fulfill, and that's something also that Secretary of State, Colin Powell, spoke of today in saying that this peace process, this road map to peace that the President is pushing ahead for a Palestinian state by the year 2005, must be pushed ahead despite this persistent violence and that both sides do have obligations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We must not allow terrorist organizations such as Hamas and PIJ and the Al Aqsa Brigade and similar organizations to derail us. The international community must speak out. The Palestinian Authority must act. Israel will do what is necessary to defend itself. But we have to move forward. It would be a tragedy if with this new momentum in the peace process, we allow terrorists to derail it and stop it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNS: Now, the word coming out of officials here at the White House is that Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, must try to rein in those militants, but they are also, the White House and other officials, giving support to Abbas to push through with that process. It's a very critical moment in that process. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right. Chris Burns, thanks very much from the White House. 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 - 10:29   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now more on our top story, the ambush of Israeli troops in Gaza. CNN's Jerrold Kessel is keeping track of the story in Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Disguised as Israeli soldiers, the three Palestinian gunmen infiltrated an Israeli army post that was guarding the area's crossing point. The attack took place as thousands of Palestinian workers were there preparing to cross to day jobs inside Israel.

Unusually, the three leading Palestinian militant groups took joint responsibility for the attack. That includes the group linked to the mainstream Fatah movement of Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas is again taking the lead.

ABDEL AZZIZ RANTISSI, HAMAS SPOKESMAN: It is a good message to the Palestinian facility that we are, as Palestinians with option of resistance not -- we aren't with the option of surrender in front of the pressures of Israelis and United States of America.

KESSEL: President Bush has said there can be no progress on the road map to peace until attacks on Israelis stop. And the Israeli government has warned that if the Palestinian Authority won't fight terror, it will go on doing so.

But even after the lethal attack, the Israelis indicate they are aware of Mr. Abbas's predicament, though he is at a critical crossroads, says a top aide to the Israeli prime minister.

RA'ANAN GISSIN, SENIOR SHARON AIDE: I think the real decision has to be taken by the Palestinian government and by the Palestinian prime minister. It's -- what is at stake here is not only the safety of Israeli citizens, but the future of the Palestinian people.

KESSEL: But Hamas feels confident in challenging abbes because many ordinary Palestinians are also not pleased with the conciliatory tone he struck at the Aqaba summit. And on Friday, the militant groups broke off talks with Mr. Abbas about a cease fire.

Despite this latest attack, the Palestinian prime minister insists a truce must be worked out.

MAHMOUD ABBAS, PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER: (through translator): We have no option but to negotiate to reach our goal. We want to calm the situation, not a civil war. No one can force us to begin an internal Palestinian conflict.

KESSEL: For now, however, Mr. Abbas is postponing a trip from the West Bank to Gaza to meet heads of the various militant groups.

Ariel Sharon also has trouble at home. Many in his Likud Party object to his commitments under the peace road map, his endorsement of a Palestinian state and his promise to begin dismantling some settlement outposts.

KESSEL (on camera): After the Aqaba summit, it seemed that Washington's immediate concern was whether the Israeli prime minister would meet his obligations. Now it seems the focus will be on this violent challenge by the Palestinian militants and how the Palestinian prime minister handles that challenge. Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, is this latest round of violence a major bump on the U.S.-backed road map to peace? The White House already this morning is reacting to the situation this morning, and CNN's Chris Burns is at the White House. And what's being said there, Chris?

CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka. Well, Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser, is saying that there is no doubt that groups like Hamas and others will try to scuttle this peace process.

But both sides, the Israelis and the Palestinians, have obligations they have to fulfill, and that's something also that Secretary of State, Colin Powell, spoke of today in saying that this peace process, this road map to peace that the President is pushing ahead for a Palestinian state by the year 2005, must be pushed ahead despite this persistent violence and that both sides do have obligations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We must not allow terrorist organizations such as Hamas and PIJ and the Al Aqsa Brigade and similar organizations to derail us. The international community must speak out. The Palestinian Authority must act. Israel will do what is necessary to defend itself. But we have to move forward. It would be a tragedy if with this new momentum in the peace process, we allow terrorists to derail it and stop it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNS: Now, the word coming out of officials here at the White House is that Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, must try to rein in those militants, but they are also, the White House and other officials, giving support to Abbas to push through with that process. It's a very critical moment in that process. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right. Chris Burns, thanks very much from the White House. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com