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CNN Live Sunday
Israeli Tanks Shell Small Towns Outside of Jerusalem
Aired May 06, 2001 - 17:14 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.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers broke out this weekend. Earlier today, a site you don't often see: Israeli tanks rolling into Palestinian territory outside of Jerusalem and pounding houses with shells. This, in response to repeated gunfire by Palestinians on Israeli positions.
One Palestinian died in that fire fight, and another 20 where hurt. Today's fighting comes just days after the Mitchell Commission, headed by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, issued a study on the seven-month long conflict in the Middle East and it was controversial. CNN's Jerrold Kessel reports now from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jewish settlers have moved into a small outpost set up by the Israeli army on a West Bank road to protect settler traffic, where last week, a man was shot and killed in an ambush. Critics say, this is how many small settlements begin.
YOSSI SARID, MERTZ OPPOSITION PARTY (through translator): The whole settlement enterprise is a colossal mistake. Mistakes should be rectified, not made worse. Here, the mistake is simply being deepened.
KESSEL: A call for a settlement freeze is included in the preliminary Mitchell Report, the international commission which investigated the causes and conduct of the bloody seven-month confrontation. Ariel Sharon had warned even before he became prime minister, that the commission could in his words "be dangerous to Israel," and put it in the international dark.
Now, a leading Israeli newspaper reports that Mr. Sharon intends to ask his cabinet to approve an additional $375 million for settlement building.
DANNY NAVEH, ISRAELI CABINET MINISTER: There is no linkage whatsoever, between the present cycle of violence and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) settlements. Arafat has decided to move ahead with his campaign of terror and violence against innocent Israel civilians after the failure of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) last year.
KESSEL: Yasser Arafat and Palestinian leaders are calling for a new summit, based on the Mitchell Report. YASSER ABED RABBO, PALESTINIAN CABINET MINISTER: We accept the findings concerning the causes that have led to the current crisis. As much as they point directly to Israel's continued occupation of Palestinian land as the source of violence.
KESSEL: Israel says there can be no new summit until the fighting stops.
SHIMON PERES, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER: In the morning, the negotiator will read, here was a bomb, here was a side bomb, here was a motar, here is a shooting, and the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) say, what the hell are you doing?
KESSEL: It's not talks how best to talk towards a truce, but violent clashes which still dominate the landscape. Israeli tanks shell several Palestinian buildings in a town just south of Jerusalem.
And ground troops thrust for several hours a short distance into Palestinian-controlled territory, to try to stop Palestinian gunmen from firing persistently on Israeli motorists. One Palestinian gunman was killed and some 20 people wounded.
Israeli battlefield commanders have been given blanket approval in principle to make such incursions. Not, says the defense minister, to reoccupy Palestinian areas, but if they deem it necessary, for security.
(on camera): With the Mitchell Commission having laid down its markers in its preliminary employment report, both Israelis and Palestinians are now looking anxiously towards Washington to see whether the Bush administration will now decide to become more actively involved in a search for a truce, and on the basis of the commission's findings.
Jerrold Kessel, Jerusalem.
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