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CNN Saturday Morning News
Renewed Violence in Middle East Leaves Seven Palestinians Dead
Aired November 24, 2001 - 08:23 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: Renewed violence in the Middle East has left at least seven Palestinians dead, including a top member of the militant Islamic group Hamas.
Joining us now live is Jerrold Kessel in Jerusalem -- and Jerrold, threats of revenge now.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Catherine.
A real upsurge in violence over the last 48 hours and this culminated in an incident last night near the West Bank town of Nablus. Israeli helicopters targeting with missiles and hitting a Palestinian vehicle. Their target was a man, a leading operative of the radical Islamic group Hamas. Two other Hamas operatives in that vehicle, which was completely destroyed, the top operative, who had been long wanted on Israel's most wanted list, Mahmoud Abu Hannoud.
The Israelis say he is responsible for masterminding a number of the most serious suicide and other bombing attacks inside Israel and elsewhere and twice before he's eluded attempts by Israel to attack him. Well, their helicopters and missiles struck last night and killed him and two other Hamas operatives and there, indeed, are cries of revenge in response to that.
The Israelis are calling this an act of self-defense and they will continue to go on carrying out attacks in order to prevent Palestinians attacking them, they say, even though this comes on the eve of a visit here, the diplomatic mission launched by the United States sending retired Marine General Anthony Zinni to try to get a cease-fire in place. The Israelis saying they will continue so long as there's no cease-fire in place. Palestinians saying that this latest attack has dangerous consequences in several directions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AVI PAZNER, ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: 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. Now, we are ready to enter immediately into talks with General Zinni and Ambassador Burns in order to see to it that there is a cease-fire. We will fully cooperate with the American envoys and we hope that the Palestinian Authority will do the same.
(END VIDEO CLIP) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NABIL SHA'ATH, PALESTINIAN CABINET MINISTER: The Israeli government is once again, once we achieve real calm and once Palestinian violence is restrained to the utmost, the Israeli government comes up with these killings, these premeditated killings, added to the killing of the five children the day before, with an attempt to explode the anger in the Palestinian people and the Palestinian masses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KESSEL: Well, the three Hamas operatives have been buried on the West Bank. In Gaza, a rally held already this morning by the radical Islamic group with cries of revenge there and, indeed, in the past when Israel has targeted leading operatives of radical Palestinian groups, that has led to reactions from the Hamas and other Islamic groups and fresh violence coming out of there.
All this, as I say, on the eve of that visit here and that mediation mission that the United States is launching to try to get the two sides back to the table. Colin Powell says that the United States is intent on pushing and prodding Palestinians and Israelis back to the table and once Anthony Zinni gets on the ground, observed the secretary of state, you'll see what pushing and prodding really means.
But I'll dare say in advance of his arrival here, we've already seen quite a fair amount of activity of events on the ground pushing and prodding, too -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: All right, Jerrold Kessel joining us from Jerusalem. Thanks, Jerrold.
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