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CNN Saturday Morning News
Israeli Forces Roll Into Refugee Camp in West Bank
Aired March 09, 2002 - 09:08 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: Violence in the Mideast rages on this morning. Israel is pressing on with its military escalation, striking Palestinian targets in Gaza and the West Bank, as Israeli forces roll into the refugee camp near the West Bank town of Tulkarem.
CNN's Michael Holmes joins us now with the latest from Jerusalem.
Hello, Michael.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra, yes, thanks very much.
At the end of what has been the bloodiest and most intense fighting in this current intifada, the fighting continues. There are reports there has been Israeli strikes in the town of Nablus, also in various areas of the Gaza Strip, all part of Israel's continuing push to increase its action against Palestinian violence, what it says is Palestinian terrorism.
It says that it will attack that terrorism with more force, and that is exactly what we have been seeing in the last week or so, and in particular the last 24, 36 hours. More than 40 people were killed, Palestinians killed, on Friday in fighting throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Earlier, five Israeli settlers had been killed, and one Israeli soldier.
This all comes at a time of a policy U-turn, if you like, by the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon. For some months now, he's been saying Israel will not negotiate under fire, that there needs to be a period of seven days without any sort of violence before any cease- fire negotiations could take place.
Last night, Friday night here in Israel, he changed his tune somewhat. This is what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Negotiations for a cease-fire will take place under fire. That's the negotiations for cease-fire. There cannot be political negotiations. Clearly there is no sense. You cannot reach peace if there is no security. But now we are dealing with a cease-fire. I will make every effort to reach a cease-fire, but if the Palestinian terror continues, we'll operate with all our might. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Ariel Sharon making two important points there, that any Palestinian violence will be met with continued heavy force from Israel, also making it clear that what he's talking about is not political negotiations, that Israel is now ready to talk about a cease-fire, and a cease-fire only, without that precondition of time.
Perhaps not surprisingly, little enthusiasm at the moment from the Palestinian side. Palestinian officials describing the events of Friday in his -- in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as a massacre. When it comes to what Ariel Sharon had to offer, this is what a spokesman had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NABIL ABU RUDEINEH, ARAFAT SPOKESMAN: First of all, if this is a serious statement, the Sharon and his government should stop their attacks and their massacres immediately. The Palestinian people are facing a grave situation through these attacks, which are carried by the Israeli army on the refugee camps, on the Palestinian people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: This at a time that this region awaits the arrival of the U.S. special envoy, Anthony Zinni, coming here to push just for that, for a cease-fire. U.S. officials making it clear to both sides, however, they want cease-fire talks to begin now, not waiting for the arrival of Anthony Zinni.
But while there's talk of a cease-fire, the fighting today continues here.
Back to you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Michael Holmes from Israel, thank you.
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