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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview With Saeb Erakat
Aired December 15, 2001 - 08:16 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Late last night, Kyra, the U.S. felt that the security council resolution at the U.N. tilted toward the Palestinian Authority and ignored some organizations like Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Saeb Erakat has been the chief Palestinian negotiator in the past talks with the Israelis and now joins us live -- we just heard him on tape a short time ago -- live on the telephone from the West Bank.
Sir, can you hear me OK?
SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: I can hear you, Bill, yes.
HEMMER: I want to know this, in the past week or more, how many suspected terrorists have been picked up by Palestinian police?
ERAKAT: Well, we have many arrested. We're exerting every possible effort. We want to get the chance. But see, since Zinni came to the region, Bill, we have 63 Palestinians who have been killed. Now, the last hour, there are four more killed in Beit Hanoun.
I just want to ask President Bush one question. What if Texas or any part of the United States were to become under foreign occupation? Would you call upon the American people to surrender to this occupation? For god's sakes, what should have been vetoed last night is the Israeli occupation.
This Palestinian leadership was elected to make peace with the Israelis. We have accepted and recognized the state of Israel on 80 percent of the land. And now it's very unfortunate to throw this veto in our face.
We're calling for an end to violence. We're condemning all sorts of terror and we stood next to you in your battle against international terrorism. We stood against bin Laden when he tried to use the Palestinian question and now Sharon doesn't want to negotiate. Sharon doesn't want to implement the Mitchell recommendation. Sharon doesn't want to implement Tenet. He doesn't want to go to, to have international observers...
HEMMER: Yes, sir, if I could just, I want to get a firm number. You say you've arrested many. Can you give us a number, number one? And number two, what's happening right now with the offices of Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad? Are they still open for business in Gaza and the West Bank?
ERAKAT: We have arrested more than 130 people.
HEMMER: Are they still in jail?
ERAKAT: Yes, absolutely. See, that's the thing, Bill. See, the question you put me into question me and to ask me, if it's my word against Sharon's word, I don't stand a chance in your Congress and your Senate. Why can't we put mechanisms to implement a timeline for the Mitchell recommendations and the Tenet plan and you as Americans can come and vouch for us? You can verify.
We want this mechanism to verify whether the offices are closed. Whether I say closed or open, it's not going to be received anywhere. This is a way occupation is the highest form of terrorism...
HEMMER: Yes, but sir, I think the larger...
ERAKAT: Occupation should not be rewarded, Bill.
HEMMER: I understand. The logic from the White House will tell you this, though. They will say close those offices and show us that you are proactive on this front and if it's not being done, they're not convinced there's movement from the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. In part, that's why the Israeli government's saying he's irrelevant at this time. To make the White House more convinced of the movement on the side of the Palestinians, one would think, shut 'em down and let's move forward from there.
You mentioned General Zinni. I'm wondering, is there any progress with him being there or is he just simply spinning his wheels and wasting time?
ERAKAT: I don't think he's wasting time. I think he's the last ray of hope and I think he should be supported in every step he, that should be taken. And if the Zinni mission will collapse, believe me, what we'll be seeing in the violence and counter violence out there will be the tip of the iceberg.
At the end of the deal, we want to save lives of Israelis and Palestinians. We want to resume the peace process. We want to resume the negotiations. And we invite the Israeli government, instead of saying irrelevant or relevant, to come back to the negotiating table. What makes Arafat relevant or irrelevant are the Palestinian people and not anybody else.
Now, my point here is that Sharon is not Mother Teresa. Sharon is not somebody who is wanting peace. Sharon is out there to destroy the peace process, to destroy the Palestinian Authority and that's his end game.
While Sharon is busy now hitting the Palestinian Authority, declaring President Arafat irrelevant, believe me, Bill, extremists on both sides are being strengthened and preparing many things. We want the Americans to help us in terms of not tying our hands and legs and throwing us to the sea. And if we can't swim, you say you're no good for us or if we'll drown, we're no partners. We need...
HEMMER: Yes, and I think the world would like to see peace in your part of the world.
Saeb Erakat, thanks for spending time with us, sir. Good to talk to you and I'm sure we'll talk to you again in the coming days.
Saeb Erakat on the telephone there in the West Bank. Thank you, sir.
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