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CNN Live Sunday
White House Condemns Suicide Bombings
Aired May 18, 2003 - 18:03 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The White House is condemning the suicide bombings in the Middle East and is working with the Israeli prime minister to reschedule his visit to Washington. Ariel Sharon has serious reservations about the road map to peace. CNN senior correspondent, John King, said Mr. Sharon had planned to air them during his meeting with the President.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The suicide bombings in Israel will test the President's commitment to do whatever it takes to revive the Israel-Palestinian peace process.
HASSAN ABDEL RAHMAN, CHIEF PALESTINIAN UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE: This is all in the hands of President Bush. He either can lead us out of this quagmire, or the area, the holy region, will go back into turmoil and instability.
KING: U.S. officials labeled the attacks a clear effort by Palestinian militants to derail the administration's new push for peace. And the violence brought fresh calls for new Palestinian Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, to prove he can crack down on militant groups
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: We must stop these terrorist attacks, and Mahmoud Abbas has that responsibility. He has to show, demonstrate clearly, that he is getting some control of this.
KING: Some in Washington echoed top aides to Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, in suggesting the violence is proof to them long-time Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is trying to undermine both Abbas and efforts to restart the peace process.
REP. JANE HARMAN (D), CALIFORNIA: I think the number one priority, frankly, there is to remove Arafat totally from any position of political power.
KING: Senior U.S. officials tell CNN Mr. Bush will not push Israel to pull back from Palestinian territories until the Palestinian authority proves its security forces are up to the challenge. But Mr. Bush does want Israel to immediately ease economic hardships on Palestinians and to commit to regular talks on improving security cooperation.
MARTIN INDYK, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: The president has to put the "Made in America" seal on this, and the president himself has to be engaged in making sure that both side take those steps.
KING: Administration officials say Prime Minister Sharon's visit will be rescheduled as soon as possible.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KING: In a statement condemning the bombing, Secretary of State Powell made clear that the administration places the immediate burden squarely on the Palestinians. Powell's statement called for immediate decisive actions to eradicate terrorist groups and to improve security. Heidi?
COLLINS: And, John, we have heard quite a bit from Palestinians about what they expect from Israel on the road map to peace. What does the U.S. government actually expect from Israel?
KING: Well, the administration is hoping in the short term now -- Kelly talked about the closure of the West Bank -- the administration is hoping in the short term that you do not get what we have seen so many times in the past, a cycle of escalating violence and Israeli retaliation followed by more terrorist bombings.
What the administration is hoping that in the next 24 to 48 hours, the situation calms down, Prime Minister Sharon comes to Washington and that the President can convince him to take troops out of some of the Palestinian territories, give the Palestinians a chance to prove they can handle the security, and give some economic concessions so the Palestinians have some hope that if they talk to Prime Minister Sharon, if they invest in peace, and if most of all, they stop the attacks, things will get better. Heidi?
COLLINS: CNN senior White House correspondent, John King. John, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 18, 2003 - 18:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The White House is condemning the suicide bombings in the Middle East and is working with the Israeli prime minister to reschedule his visit to Washington. Ariel Sharon has serious reservations about the road map to peace. CNN senior correspondent, John King, said Mr. Sharon had planned to air them during his meeting with the President.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The suicide bombings in Israel will test the President's commitment to do whatever it takes to revive the Israel-Palestinian peace process.
HASSAN ABDEL RAHMAN, CHIEF PALESTINIAN UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE: This is all in the hands of President Bush. He either can lead us out of this quagmire, or the area, the holy region, will go back into turmoil and instability.
KING: U.S. officials labeled the attacks a clear effort by Palestinian militants to derail the administration's new push for peace. And the violence brought fresh calls for new Palestinian Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, to prove he can crack down on militant groups
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: We must stop these terrorist attacks, and Mahmoud Abbas has that responsibility. He has to show, demonstrate clearly, that he is getting some control of this.
KING: Some in Washington echoed top aides to Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, in suggesting the violence is proof to them long-time Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is trying to undermine both Abbas and efforts to restart the peace process.
REP. JANE HARMAN (D), CALIFORNIA: I think the number one priority, frankly, there is to remove Arafat totally from any position of political power.
KING: Senior U.S. officials tell CNN Mr. Bush will not push Israel to pull back from Palestinian territories until the Palestinian authority proves its security forces are up to the challenge. But Mr. Bush does want Israel to immediately ease economic hardships on Palestinians and to commit to regular talks on improving security cooperation.
MARTIN INDYK, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: The president has to put the "Made in America" seal on this, and the president himself has to be engaged in making sure that both side take those steps.
KING: Administration officials say Prime Minister Sharon's visit will be rescheduled as soon as possible.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KING: In a statement condemning the bombing, Secretary of State Powell made clear that the administration places the immediate burden squarely on the Palestinians. Powell's statement called for immediate decisive actions to eradicate terrorist groups and to improve security. Heidi?
COLLINS: And, John, we have heard quite a bit from Palestinians about what they expect from Israel on the road map to peace. What does the U.S. government actually expect from Israel?
KING: Well, the administration is hoping in the short term now -- Kelly talked about the closure of the West Bank -- the administration is hoping in the short term that you do not get what we have seen so many times in the past, a cycle of escalating violence and Israeli retaliation followed by more terrorist bombings.
What the administration is hoping that in the next 24 to 48 hours, the situation calms down, Prime Minister Sharon comes to Washington and that the President can convince him to take troops out of some of the Palestinian territories, give the Palestinians a chance to prove they can handle the security, and give some economic concessions so the Palestinians have some hope that if they talk to Prime Minister Sharon, if they invest in peace, and if most of all, they stop the attacks, things will get better. Heidi?
COLLINS: CNN senior White House correspondent, John King. John, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
