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CNN Live Sunday

Authorities Assess Damage After Bombings in Jerusalem

Aired December 02, 2001 - 15:01   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East today, authorities are assessing the damage after a wave of bombs killed 28 people in two Israeli cities. The latest attack happened early today, when a suicide bomber destroyed a city bus in Haifa. The assaults began in Jerusalem, Saturday, when two suicide bombers triggered explosions at a crowded pedestrian shopping area.

CNN's Jerrold Kessel has been following the events. He joins us with more from Jerusalem -- Jerrold.

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donna, assessing the damage and asking the questions, as Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon heads home after his meeting at the White House with President Bush. The key questions being asked, especially in light of the fact that the U.S. president put the onus squarely on the shoulders on Yasser Arafat the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority to crack down and to haul in the Palestinian militants who carried out these kinds of suicide bombings.

The question being asked: Just what will Yasser Arafat do in the next immediate period? And the collateral question of what will Israel do, or not do? Will Israel wait for Yasser Arafat to act? Will Israel act on its own, irrespective of what the Palestinians do?

Well, there had been warnings, but nobody expected it to be quite this horrific. And just before Israel had time to bury the dead from the double-barrel suicide bombing in Jerusalem, the Israeli anguish and agony switched to the north of the country to the northern port town of Haifa, where the third suicide bomber struck. And it was -- he struck against something that everyone uses: the city bus.

Coolly, the report said, he stepped aboard the bus, paid his fare, and then turned into the bus with the driver calling after him, "You have forgotten your change." But within seconds after that, suddenly that horrific explosion, which ripped the bus apart and left at least 14 people killed, and many among the 40 injured still fighting for their lives.

There were touching scenes outside. This is a mixed neighborhood of Jewish Israelis and Arab Israelis in downtown Haifa. And there were scenes of the two -- members of the two communities helping one another -- the injured of the two communities that were reportedly among -- although we haven't had the full casualty and fatality figures of both Arabs and Jews on that bus and in the cars around it that were killed or wounded in that strike.

And just as the mayhem was erupting in Haifa, in Jerusalem, the man who had been charged with the mission by President Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Reserve Marine General Anthony Zinni, who had been sent out here to get a cease-fire in place. He was visiting the site of the double-barreled suicide bombing the night before, laying a wreath and having some very strong words to say about the Palestinian Authority's need to act and to act firmly.

In that double-barreled suicide bombing, followed by a car explosion last night, 10 young Israelis were killed, aged between 14 and 20. General Zinni pulled no punches when he said that Yasser Arafat, the onus was on him to act and act now.

The Palestinians say they are prepared to act. The only way, they say, is to get back to the peace table right away. The Israelis say it's not good enough. The Israeli government simply does not trust Yasser Arafat. They say they want action. They want action to be seen.

The Palestinian Authority has declared a state of emergency, proclaiming that it will tolerate no forces beyond its own forces acting -- no independent action, and that its security forces will detain anyone who has supported or who has backed these three suicide bombings.

But the big question: Will that be enough for the United States and for Israel? And will Israel wait for Yasser Arafat to act, or will Israel act itself -- Donna.

KELLEY: Jerrold, Mr. Arafat has declared a state of emergency. What does that mean? What happens now?

KESSEL: Well, the Palestinians say this is the first time they've actually given sweeping powers to their security forces to go around and make large-scale arrests without trial, detain people from the radical groups. Anybody who is seen to be, in the statement issued by Mr. Arafat's office in the wake of emergency meetings, anyone who flaps (ph) the law, who does not abide by what the Palestinian Authority says, the Palestinian leadership says, is the purpose of their -- their purpose now, which is to make sure that a cease-fire takes hold. And that they will act firmly against anybody who has supported, who has backed, who are the perpetrators of these kinds of actions.

There is skepticism in Israel. The United States seem to be saying in the president's voice, in Mr. Zinni's voice, that Yasser Arafat, now, is facing the critical test. We await to see whether he can deliver, whether he will deliver, and whether it will satisfy both the United States and the Israelis -- Donna.

KELLEY: Jerrold Kessel in Jerusalem -- thanks for the latest from there very much.

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