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CNN Saturday Morning News

Sharon is Now Willing to Negotiate Even as Violence Continues

Aired March 09, 2002 - 08:09   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In the air and on the ground, Israel is pushing its military fight against the Palestinians. This as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reverses his position on negotiations with the Palestinians. He's now willing to talk even while the violence continues on both sides.

We get the latest now from CNN Jerusalem bureau chief Mike Hanna.

Hi Mike.

MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Hello there, Kyra.

Well, ongoing violence in the area as Israel continues its massive military operations that it's undertaken in recent days. There were Israeli strikes on the West Bank against the city of Nablus, as well as in the Gaza Strip at various Palestinian targets. This all part of an Israeli decision earlier on in the week to ratchet up its military operations against Palestinian targets. The government of Ariel Sharon deciding that the way to counter what it sees as Palestinian violence is the use of even greater Israeli force.

Well, it has been great force, indeed. In the past 24 hours more than 40 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli operations. Dozens have been wounded. During that same period there have been five Israeli settlers killed by Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip. Also, one Israeli killed in operations in the West Bank town of Tulkarem.

Now, in the midst of this mayhem, the Israeli prime minister announced what appears to be a change in his policy. For months he has been saying that Israel will not negotiate under fire. However, Prime Minister Sharon now says that he is prepared to talk about a cease-fire even while the violence continues. Indications, too, that the question of a seven day violence-free period, which Sharon had insisted on as a precursor to any form of negotiation, would now fall away. However, Sharon emphasizes that the negotiations would be directed towards achieving a cease-fire only, not towards a wider political understanding.

Well, the Palestinians not responding very enthusiastically to the announcement. This is what they had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Negotiations to stop the shooting would be held under fire. These are negotiations to achieve a cease-fire. Of course, there won't be political negotiations because there's no point. You can't achieve peace without security. But at the present, we're talking about a cease-fire. I'll make every effort to achieve a cease-fire, but if Palestinian terrorism continues, we'll act with all our power.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNA: Well, that was Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. We apologize about that mistake. But the situation ongoing. Palestinians say that talk of negotiating a cease-fire meaningless at a time when violence is at its absolute height and it is, indeed, after 17 months of conflict, the violence has not been higher, the death toll has not been greater, the possibility of getting some kind of cease-fire on the ground never seems more remote -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, our Mike Hanna live from Jerusalem. Thank you.

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