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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Charles Enderlin
Aired June 29, 2003 - 10:37 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: At least two militant groups have agreed to a three-month cease-fire. What do these latest developments mean? Author Charles Enderlin is in Jerusalem, where he has lived for the past 30 years. His book, "Shattered Dreams," focuses on past failures of the peace process in the Middle East. He is also the Jerusalem bureau chief for France 2 Television. And Charles Enderlin, thanks very much for joining us.
How do you try to evaluate the fact that only two of the militant groups have agreed to this three-month cease-fire and not the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade?
CHARLES ENDERLIN, FRENCH TV JOURNALIST: I suppose that it will follow suit very fast. They have internal problems between Yasser Arafat and other groups, but it will probably come tonight or latest tomorrow. They will follow. The truce will be in place theoretically for three months.
WHITFIELD: Now, this three-month cease-fire, however, would still be very fragile. All it would take is a wrong move on either side to dismantle this entire process. How much confidence do you have that at least two of these groups have agreed to this cease-fire?
ENDERLIN: We have a real problem here, because in some areas, especially in the West Bank, some Palestinian groups don't listen to the orders of their leadership. So it will be some time until all these groups will return under the command of leadership. If it is Hamas, Jihad or the al Aqsa Martyrs.
So -- but you're right, this is a very fragile process. In fact, it gives something like a right of veto to any Palestinian youngster with a grenade who decides along to throw a grenade somewhere and attack the Israelis. And also if some Israeli army unit feels it's threatened, it can also open fire.
So this is a very fragile process, with many people on the ground who have a right of veto on the process.
But maybe it can work. And this is the first hope since beginning of the intifadah in September, 2000.
WHITFIELD: And in fact, you heard from Jerrold who reported that Israel has expressed some skepticism, that perhaps the cease-fire is a ploy, this is just an opportunity for some militant members in which to try to rearm, gain fuel over the next couple of months. Do you agree with that? ENDERLIN: You're right. The Israelis don't like this type of truce proclaimed by their fiercest enemies, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. They believe, for example, that conditions that the organizations have put forward will enable them to start again the attacks against Israel. For example, within two or three months they decide that, as they requested no Palestinian prisoners have been released, that Yasser Arafat is still under siege in Ramallah, they will be said our conditions have not been fulfilled and we can start again fighting the Israelis.
So the Sharon government does not like the way things have started. But I believe Mr. Abu Mazen, the Palestinian prime minister, and the security chief, Colonel Dahlan, had no other choice. They don't have the means to crack down on the militants. They want first to get from the Palestinians (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the popular legitimacy. Today they don't have it. For example, today, and they would try to arrest ...
WHITFIELD: Forgive me for interrupting. We are running out of time. I do want to ask you about National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice in the region, if in any way you feel that her presence there has helped expedite the process of getting this cease- fire agreement, and if you see any significance in her invitation reportedly to Mahmoud Abbas to come to the United States for further talks?
ENDERLIN: I think it is a major event for the Bush administration. The Bush administration today is micromanaging the process, like Bill Clinton used to do it. After each meeting between Israeli and Palestinians, the both sides got called from Washington, knew exactly what was decided, what was the discussion. And the Bush administration is more and more involved in the daily process here in the Middle East between Israeli and Palestinians. This is something new. This is also what President Bush said he wanted to do. He wanted to imitate President Clinton, in some field.
WHITFIELD: And in fact, Condoleezza Rice is the third U.S. official to visit that region just within the past month or so. All right, thanks very much, Charles Enderlin, of "Shattered Dreams." Thanks very much for joining us. Appreciate it.
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 29, 2003 - 10:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: At least two militant groups have agreed to a three-month cease-fire. What do these latest developments mean? Author Charles Enderlin is in Jerusalem, where he has lived for the past 30 years. His book, "Shattered Dreams," focuses on past failures of the peace process in the Middle East. He is also the Jerusalem bureau chief for France 2 Television. And Charles Enderlin, thanks very much for joining us.
How do you try to evaluate the fact that only two of the militant groups have agreed to this three-month cease-fire and not the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade?
CHARLES ENDERLIN, FRENCH TV JOURNALIST: I suppose that it will follow suit very fast. They have internal problems between Yasser Arafat and other groups, but it will probably come tonight or latest tomorrow. They will follow. The truce will be in place theoretically for three months.
WHITFIELD: Now, this three-month cease-fire, however, would still be very fragile. All it would take is a wrong move on either side to dismantle this entire process. How much confidence do you have that at least two of these groups have agreed to this cease-fire?
ENDERLIN: We have a real problem here, because in some areas, especially in the West Bank, some Palestinian groups don't listen to the orders of their leadership. So it will be some time until all these groups will return under the command of leadership. If it is Hamas, Jihad or the al Aqsa Martyrs.
So -- but you're right, this is a very fragile process. In fact, it gives something like a right of veto to any Palestinian youngster with a grenade who decides along to throw a grenade somewhere and attack the Israelis. And also if some Israeli army unit feels it's threatened, it can also open fire.
So this is a very fragile process, with many people on the ground who have a right of veto on the process.
But maybe it can work. And this is the first hope since beginning of the intifadah in September, 2000.
WHITFIELD: And in fact, you heard from Jerrold who reported that Israel has expressed some skepticism, that perhaps the cease-fire is a ploy, this is just an opportunity for some militant members in which to try to rearm, gain fuel over the next couple of months. Do you agree with that? ENDERLIN: You're right. The Israelis don't like this type of truce proclaimed by their fiercest enemies, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. They believe, for example, that conditions that the organizations have put forward will enable them to start again the attacks against Israel. For example, within two or three months they decide that, as they requested no Palestinian prisoners have been released, that Yasser Arafat is still under siege in Ramallah, they will be said our conditions have not been fulfilled and we can start again fighting the Israelis.
So the Sharon government does not like the way things have started. But I believe Mr. Abu Mazen, the Palestinian prime minister, and the security chief, Colonel Dahlan, had no other choice. They don't have the means to crack down on the militants. They want first to get from the Palestinians (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the popular legitimacy. Today they don't have it. For example, today, and they would try to arrest ...
WHITFIELD: Forgive me for interrupting. We are running out of time. I do want to ask you about National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice in the region, if in any way you feel that her presence there has helped expedite the process of getting this cease- fire agreement, and if you see any significance in her invitation reportedly to Mahmoud Abbas to come to the United States for further talks?
ENDERLIN: I think it is a major event for the Bush administration. The Bush administration today is micromanaging the process, like Bill Clinton used to do it. After each meeting between Israeli and Palestinians, the both sides got called from Washington, knew exactly what was decided, what was the discussion. And the Bush administration is more and more involved in the daily process here in the Middle East between Israeli and Palestinians. This is something new. This is also what President Bush said he wanted to do. He wanted to imitate President Clinton, in some field.
WHITFIELD: And in fact, Condoleezza Rice is the third U.S. official to visit that region just within the past month or so. All right, thanks very much, Charles Enderlin, of "Shattered Dreams." Thanks very much for joining us. Appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
