Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Israel Accused of Trying to Sabotage U.S. Peace Efforts

Aired November 24, 2001 - 09:41   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: We're going to turn now to the rising tensions in the Middle East. An adviser to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat accuses Israel of trying to sabotage U.S. peace efforts. It comes after a new round of violence that left several Palestinians dead, including a top leader of the Islamic group Hamas.

Here's CNN's Jerrold Kessel with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Israeli missile strike that targeted the vehicle of the Islamic militants came on the eve of a new high-profile Washington mission aimed at finally getting a solid cease-fire in place and ending 14 months of violence.

AVI PAZNER, ISRAELI SPOKESPERSON: As long as there is no cease- fire, as long as terrorism continues, we have to take every action necessary to stop terrorists and to take them out.

KESSEL: The three men killed include a top operative of the radical Islamic group Hamas, Mahmoud Abu Hannoud, who was very high on Israel's most-wanted list, suspected as he was of masterminding several major suicide and other bombings which killed scores of Israelis over the past four years.

At least twice before, Abu Hannoud had eluded attempts to kill him.

Cries for revenge at a Hamas rally in Gaza Saturday morning. The organization's political leader suggesting actions now by the military wing are inevitable.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It won't help Sharon or Peres, despite their alliance with America. Even the Arab traitors won't help them or save them from the answer our military wing will give. The answer is coming.

KESSEL: Previous Israeli targeting of top members of militant Islamic groups have triggered counter-strikes and fresh turmoil.

Friday night's targeted killings was the latest in a series of violent incidents which have left at least 12 Palestinians dead since Thursday, when five Gaza schoolboys were killed in an explosion attributed to an Israeli army booby trap aimed at Palestinian militants.

The Palestinian Authority charges Israel is trying to block the U.S. mediation mission.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They don't want to start a genuine peace process, and they speak about cease-fire in order to cover their intentions to continue the firing, the killing, the assassinations.

KESSEL: Still, the Israeli government says whether U.S. envoys retired general Antony Zinni (ph) and Ambassador Williams Burns, who arrive on Monday, will get their cease-fire depends on what Palestinians do.

DORE GOLD, SHARON ADVISER: If they sense that because of events in Afghanistan, in the aftermath of September 11, that Yasser Arafat's calculus has indeed changed, then there may be a window of opportunity for getting a cease-fire on the ground.

If, on the other hand, they detect that Yasser Arafat still remains convinced that violence will lead to the internationalization of this conflict and pressure on Israel, then I'm afraid it's going to be a very difficult diplomatic round.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once we achieve real calm and once Palestinian violence is restrained to the utmost, the Israeli government comes up with these killings, these military meditated killings, added to the killing of the five children the day before, with an attempt to explode the anger and -- in the Palestinian people, in the Palestinian masses.

KESSEL (on camera): Colin Powell says the United States will push and prod the two sides back to the table. "Once Tony Zinni gets into the ground," observed the secretary of state, "you'll see what pushing and prodding really means." But already, in advance of his arrival, there's been a good deal of events on the ground pushing and prodding too.

Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com