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Your World Today
Iran Nuclear Dispute; Britain Prepares to Deport 10 Foreign Nationals; Gaza Pullout
Aired August 11, 2005 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is YOUR WORLD TODAY.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: The International Atomic Energy Agency calls on Iran to pull the plug on sensitive parts of its nuclear program.
JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Tracking people on the war on terrorism and what to do when they are found. Britain prepares to deport 10 foreign nationals.
VERJEE: And coming up in a half-hour...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't give a damn for the government
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VERJEE: ... settlers in Gaza make their opinions known about Israeli disengagement. We'll have a special report just days ahead of the planned pullout.
It's 5:00 p.m. in London and 8:30 p.m. in Tehran. I'm Zain Verjee.
CLANCY: I'm Jim Clancy. Welcome to our viewers throughout the world. This is YOUR WORLD TODAY.
VERJEE: We start with another round in the dispute between the U.N. nuclear agency and Iran. Just a short while ago, the International Atomic Energy Agency approved a resolution on Tehran's resumption of uranium conversion.
Walter Rodgers joins us now from Vienna with more on that.
Walter, what did the resolution say?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Zain, the 35-member panel of the International Atomic Energy Agency passed a resolution expressing serious concern that the Iranians this week restarted their uranium conversion process at the Isfahan nuclear installation in Iran. They said that they hope the Iranians would cease and desist from this. That is to say, reverse their action and reestablish the freeze which had previously existed, and stop putting feed material into this process, which is, of course, the first step, and the very preliminary first step in the nuclear conversion process, which could ultimately produce either nuclear fuel or weapons-grade uranium.
The Iranians, however, were very defiant again. They said Iran will not bend, will not stop. A statement released by the Iranians said, again, that within 10 years, they are going to be a nuclear power producer and supplier to other countries as well.
It was a difficult meeting. That is to say, behind the scenes, before they finally agreed by consensus to the resolution. And all sides claims something of a victory.
Here's Greg Schulte, the American ambassador here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREG SCHULTE, U.S. REP. TO U.N. IN AUSTRIA: The board of governors just adopted a resolution that contains our collective views. The board has expressed serious concern at Iran breaking the Paris Accords and breaking this organization's seals. The board has urged Iran to stop uranium conversion, and the board has asked Dr. ElBaradei for a comprehensive report on Iran's alliance with this resolution and with its safeguard obligations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RODGERS: The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, came out just a few moments ago. He still thinks that the negotiating process can work. That is to say, that the Iranians can be persuaded yet to shut down this fuel conversion process.
He called it a window of opportunity. And indeed, the International Atomic Energy Agency is sending another team to Iran tomorrow. They have probably until the end of the month, early September, to come up with a new recommendation. At that point, the director general of the IAEA has been instructed to come back with a detailed report.
So, what we have is the Iranians being given more time, but, again, this is far from over -- Jim, Zain.
VERJEE: There was no mention, was there, Walter, of referral or anything about the U.N. Security Council in this resolution, right?
RODGERS: No, that's correct, Zain. And part of the reason for that, of course, is that no one wanted to raise that issue at this point.
Recall that it was only two days ago that the Iranian chief of delegation here, Cyrus Nasseri, warned that if there was anything smacking of a confrontation, it would have an impact on oil prices. Iran, of course, is a major oil producer. And there was a veiled threat in a closed-door meeting earlier, that if indeed there was any talk in this resolution or immediately in the near future of taking this to the United Nations, threatening Iran with sanctions, that the world would see even higher oil prices. The Iranians are very defiant in this. One of -- one of the remarks in the statements was the Iranians essentially shaking their fist at the United States and saying, "Iran is not Iraq. And the time for the United States to be the sole policemen for the entire world is all over" -- Zain.
VERJEE: CNN Senior International Correspondent in Vienna, Walter Rodgers -- Jim.
CLANCY: Turning our attention to the war on terror and Britain, controversy and yet considerable support as the British government gears up to address problems and take actions against residents with questionable backgrounds. All part of the fight against terror, according to London.
Ten foreign nationals thus far detained, slated for deportation for threatening Britain's national security. This comes as Prime Minister Tony Blair announced new measures to deport and exclude from Britain anyone who advocates hatred and violence.
A suspected al Qaeda operative, meantime, wanted by the United States is going to remain in British custody for now. Sometime next month he could be transferred to the U.S. Haroon Rashid Aswat accused of helping to set up a terror training camp in the U.S. state of Oregon.
A Jordanian man described as al Qaeda's spiritual ambassador in Europe is believed to be among the 10 people on that deportation list.
As Dan Rivers report, Abu Qatada no longer welcomed in the United Kingdom.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN RIVERS, ITV NEWS (voice over): This is Abu Qatada, not a fan of the media. A cleric who's called on British Muslims to martyr themselves, he's allegedly had links to September the 11th hijackers and shoe bomber Richard Reid.
Some have labeled him a spiritual leader to terrorists across the world. He was released back to his home in west London in March after the House of Lords rules his detention in Belmarsh prison was illegal. But today he is back behind bars here at Woodhill Prison, after dozens of police officers swooped at dawn on him and nine others deemed to be a threat to national security.
The raids were carried out by four police forces across the country this morning in London, Luton, the West Midlands, and Leicestershire. The men being deported include eight Algerians, Abu Qatada, who's from Jordan, and a man from Lebanon.
Today, the home office confirmed the raids resulted from promises with the men's native countries that the deportees won't be tortured.
HAZEL BLEARS, BRITISH HOME OFFICE MINSITER: Clearly, our national security is of the utmost importance now. And where we've got foreign nationals in this country whose presence is not conducive to the public good, then I believe they should be deported with proper assurances.
RIVERS: But some are concerned those agreements may not be honored.
SHAMI CHAKRABARTI, LIBERTY: We'll need independent cooperation from Human Rights Watch, from Amnesty International, from the U.N. monitoring bodies. A self-serving piece of paper from a non- democratic country is not good enough by itself.
MIKE BLACKMORE, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: Amnesty International believes that diplomatic assurances, as they're called, are not worth the paper they are written on. And in fact, only last week, we released a report on two Yemeni men who report being tortured by Jordanian intelligence services. And Jordan, of course, is the only country so far with which the U.K. has reached one of these agreements.
RIVERS: Abu Qatada has been sentenced to death in Jordan for a series of bomb attacks. Now it seems he's going to be sent back there. Officials here confident he won't be harmed.
Dan Rivers, ITV News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VERJEE: In Beirut, a radical Muslim cleric is being detained by Lebanese authorities. Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed earlier sparked outrage in Britain when he said he wouldn't tell police if he knew that Muslims were planning attacks. The Syrian-born cleric has also said that the British government's partly to blame for the July 7 terror attacks in London.
Bakri, who had lived in Britain for 30 years, left the country on Saturday after a crackdown on Islamic extremism. He's being questioned about his presence in Lebanon and his relationship with fundamentalists.
While more moderate Jewish settlers in Gaza pack up and salvaged their homes, the Israeli army is getting ready to face neighbors who harbor intentions to stay. Some soldiers dressed as settlers for their last exercise before the pullout next week. Wednesday's exercise was stopped when soldiers used excessive force.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon repeated arguments that the disengagement lets Israel keep large blocks of West Bank settlements.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): In no event will I ever negotiate over the status of Jerusalem. And the settlement blocs will exist and will be territorially connected to the state of Israel.
These points are a great achievement. Also, Palestinian refugees, refugees of 48, will not return to Israel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VERJEE: CNN will take an in-depth look at Israel's disengagement plan, including how it's polarized the nation, and how it could influence the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. John Vause and Guy Raz, join them for "Gaza Pullout," a special report coming up in less than 20 minutes.
Also, on the next edition of "Business International," we're going to have a live interview with the former Israeli finance minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. He resigned on Sunday in protest over Israel's Gaza withdrawal plan. Make sure you join Fionnuala Sweeney for that live interview at 21:00 GMT.
CLANCY: All right. Coming up next on YOUR WORLD TODAY, we're going to take a look at what is making news around the U.S. We'll also be talking about what's going on at Heathrow Airport.
VERJEE: Then, lazy, hazy, crazy days in Malaysia. The brown cloud that just won't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VERJEE: Welcome back. You are watching CNN International.
Passengers have been left stranded and hungry at Britain's Heathrow Airport. This as British Airways suspends all check-ins over a catering row.
Richard Quest joins us now from Heathrow with the latest on the story -- Richard.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hello from Heathrow Airport, the world's busiest international airport. And there is nothing other than chaos and confusion here this afternoon as the largest dominant carrier here has suspended all check-in to its flights.
British Airways, which has roughly 500 aircraft movements every day at Heathrow, a few hours ago announced that it was suspending check-in for the simple reason that the baggage loaders were refusing to put bags on the planes. The loaders were coming out in strike in sympathy of the catering staff who were for a subcontractor, who had also been on strike.
What this means is, that for Britain's main carrier, and Heathrow's largest airline, thousands of people were turning up, the bags couldn't be handled, and effectively, be a ground to a halt.
Joining me now here at Heathrow Airport, Sally Wamsly (ph).
Now Sally, your son is flying out this afternoon. Was meant to be. What do you know? What's the airline said?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All we know is that everyone is told to please wait. We understand this is because of difficulties with baggage handling. But further than that, we don't know anything.
We don't know how long the delay's going to be. We have been told the flight is definitely not canceled.
QUEST: And where's he going?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's going to Cape Town, South Africa.
QUEST: So that's one of the longer flights. So you'd already resigned yourself to the fact that he was going to take his own sandwiches because of the catering dispute.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's right. Yes, I went in and sort of got a whole lot of food for him to put in his rucksack this afternoon. So we thought we'd taken care of the problem, but obviously not.
QUEST: Sally, you seem to be quite relaxed about it at the moment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, we have -- we've only been here for about three-quarters of an hour. So we're right at the beginning part of our waiting. And I suppose I've done quite a lot of flying, and had delays in the past. And I know that there's nothing you can do, really.
QUEST: All right. Sally, thank you. We'll let you go back.
Viewers will have noted, of course, Sally's son isn't actually with her, and that's for a good reason. That's because he's waiting to find out what's happened.
We'll let you go and rejoin him, Sally.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you very much.
QUEST: So, Zain, the situation is that British Airways is now canceling flights, it's diverting flights, it's pretty much doing everything possible to ensure that more planes do not join those behind, along with the dozens of other planes at the airport. The more planes that arrive, the more passengers have to be dealt with, the bigger the chaos.
And a final note. This is the third year running that B.A. has had chaos and confusion during its peak summer months.
VERJEE: Richard Quest reporting. Thanks a lot for that, Richard -- Jim.
CLANCY: Well, let's check in now on some of the stories that are making news in North America.
Another purported al Qaeda video has surfaced on Al-Arabiya television. It shows this photo I.D. and weapon of a Navy SEAL killed during the summer in Afghanistan. A Navy official says the photo appears to be that of Petty Officer 2nd Class Danny Dietz, whose body was recovered on the fourth of July. VERJEE: A fugitive inmate and his wife are in custody after their capture at an Ohio motel. George and Jennifer Hyatte face first-degree murder charges in Tennessee. She's accused of killing a prison guard to help her convict husband escape. A tip from a cab driver led police to the couple.
CLANCY: And NASA's latest journey to Mars postponed for the moment. A software glitch blamed for delaying the launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. NASA hopes the orbiter will eventually help determine if the Red Planet can support human outposts.
Well, with oil prices in record territory, just how are the markets reacting?
VERJEE: And the film "Bend it Like Beckham" may have been a great hit with football fans.
CLANCY: But with a new arrival at Man United, will they say forget about Beckham? We'll have some answers when YOUR WORLD TODAY returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CLANCY: Malaysia's a beautiful, lush, green country. But the skies aren't exactly blue these days. Even on a place where people are accustomed to some level of smog, this is a little bit much. Let me show you what I mean.
On your left, that's the before picture. On the right, that's a picture of what it's like today.
Andrew Stevens has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDREW STEVENS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On the streets of Kuala Lumpur, the smell of smoke is overpowering. Residents and tourists are buying up surgical masks to cover their faces, but the masks offer little protection from the polluted air. And officials are not optimistic.
ADENAN SATEM, MALAYSIA'S ENVIRONMENT MINISTER: The situation is not getting better. The situation is not getting better. It's getting worse.
STEVENS: Thick smoke from hundreds of forest fires burning on the nearby Indonesian island of Sumatra has blown over the western coast of Malaysia. It's the worst environmental crisis to hit the Malaysian peninsula in eight years. Pollution levels are shooting into the hazardous zone, and doctors say people with asthma and heart disease are most at risk.
DR. LIAM CHONG KIN, MALAYSIA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER: We will expect to see more cases of conjunctivitis, upper respiratory infections, and all that coming in. But they will be seeing -- this cases will be seen as outpatient. But the worrying thing is that can put pressure on the hospital side. It will be (INAUDIBLE) of asthma and (INAUDIBLE) of COPD, because these patients are more susceptible to air pollution.
STEVENS: The country is under a state of emergency in two areas and has closed its biggest port. Schools, businesses and government offices in the worst effected areas are closed as well. Officials say the only thing that might help now is rain.
Andrew Stevens, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CLANCY: Well, time for a check on what is moving the markets in the U.S. and Europe.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
CLANCY: All right. A little bit of a change-up this day. Zain and I are going to go away for a little while, but we've got a very timely and important special for you with our colleague, John Vause.
VERJEE: Let's go live to Gaza right now and hear from John.
John, what's up?
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Zain. Hi, Jim.
Coming up, we'll have an in-depth look at Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, what that means to both the Israelis and Palestinians, and just how this may all play out in the days and weeks to come. That's just ahead on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Hello, and welcome to this special report from CNN International, "The Gaza Pullout." I'm John Vause reporting from the Israeli-Gaza border, not far from the Jewish settlement of Nisanit. And within the last few hours, a Kassam rocket fired by Palestinian militants from Gaza landed within a mile of here. One of the reasons why: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon wants to evacuate all 21 settlements in Gaza.
About 20 miles south from here is the largest of the Jewish settlements, Nevah Dekalim. There we find CNN's Guy Raz. And reporting the Palestinian side of the story from Gaza City, Ben Wedeman. Live reports from both Guy and Ben a little later.
When the Israelis captured the Gaza Strip 38 years ago from the Egyptians, they did it with just two brigades, less than 20,000 men. Getting out of Gaza, though, there will be more than double that number of Israeli soldiers and police on the front lines. And after all the talk, the politics, the threats and warnings of civil war, and also the violent demonstrations, D-Day, as in disengagement, is now less than four days away.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE (voice-over): Never during peace time has Israel undertaken such a massive security operation. Already, thousands of soldiers and police are massing near the Gaza border.
As many as 50,000 could be involved in the disengagement, and it could take up to three weeks, maybe more, to evacuate all 21 settlements in Gaza and four more in the West Bank. Seen here at a recent training exercise, they'll work in teams of 17 men and women. They'll be unarmed, but will use force if necessary.
CARLA OZ, ISRAELI POLICE: They'll come early in the morning, knock on the door, introduce themselves. They won't explain why they're evacuating them, just how it will be done.
VAUSE: The Gaza settlements are now a closed military zone. Only residents are allowed past checkpoints.
Using satellite photos is where the intelligence has gathered information on every house. How many people live there? Do they have a dog or a cat? What kind of car do they drive? Will they go quietly or will they put up a fight?
(on camera): Police expect many hardcore opponents to gather in synagogues and other community buildings, as well as on rooftops. First up the ladders will be police woman, followed by riot police.
(voice-over): Cages, hoisted by cranes, will be used to bring down the protesters. Nine hundred prison cells have been set aside.
MAJ. SHARON FEINGOLD, ISRAELI ARMY: There is no enemy. There is no victory. We have to do it with determination, but with a sense and sensibility and sensitivity of the mission.
VAUSE: Security forces will be in place by August 15. Settlers will be given another 48 hours to leave peacefully. E-Day is set for August 17.
Protests are expected across Israel. Senior police commanders tell CNN security around the Temple Mount, as its known to Jews, the Noble Sanctuary for Muslims, will be dramatically increased. So, too, on the one road in and out of Tel Aviv Airport. The army and police are also preparing evacuation under fire from Palestinian militant groups, possibly armed Jewish extremists as well.
FEINGOLD: Our forces will not be sitting ducks for targets from anyone.
VAUSE: The Army plans to be out of Gaza by the end of September. Already, military bases are being taken apart and brought down. Israeli occupation of Gaza is very near to the end, but the most difficult days are yet to come.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Around 60 percent of settlers have filed for compensation. On the flip side, about 40 percent have not, and many of those are not just praying for a miracle, they're expecting one to happen.
CNN's Guy Raz is Nevah Dekalim with that part of the story. He joins us live -- Guy.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, there's a parallel world within which many of the Gaza settlers live. Many are in denial over the impending evacuation and haven't even started to prepare for it at all. But there are others, more pragmatic settlers, who are starting to come to terms with the reality of disengagement.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAZ (voice-over): More and more boxes sliding into the moving boxes. Within a month, Israel's settlement project in Gaza will be over, 38 years after it began. The families who were sent here to settle this land are quickly coming to terms with the demise of that enterprise, even though most, like David Sa'ada, aren't enthusiastic about it.
DAVID SA'ADA, SETTLER (through translator): My kids are still small so they don't really understand what's going on, just that we have to leave our house because the government is deporting us.
RAZ: His neighbors in the Rafiah Yam settlement are also packing up, their small street now choked with metal containers. David Sa'ada is leaving voluntarily, but he has no grand hopes for a breakthrough in resolving the conflict.
SA'ADA: When the Palestinians start educating their children that we are human beings, there might be a chance. But as long as they teach their children only to kill Jews, peace will never come.
RAZ: The mood in Morage settlement is somewhat different. In the synagogue, vigilance and prayer go hand-in-hand. Morage will be one of the first of the Gaza settlements to go, in less than eight days. But Haim Gross, the settlement security chief, still doesn't believe it will happen.
HAIM GROSS, MORAGE SETTLEMENT SECURITY CHIEF: We're not really scared so much because we know that we're in God's hand and we don't think God wants this crazy evacuation and to throw Jewish people out of their own homes.
RAZ: The army bulldozers, now gathering around the settlement, indicate a different reality. The recently abandoned greenhouses, now skeletons, also signal the end.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RAZ: What is certain about disengagement, John, is that it's brought the issue of occupation right to the center of the public debate within Israel -- John.
VAUSE: CNN's Guy Raz reporting live from us from Nevah Dekalim. Thank you, Guy. So what will happen once the Israelis are gone? Israel's Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the man widely seen as being behind the disengagement, when we come back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIEL SHARON, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (through translator): In no event will I negotiate over the status of Jerusalem. And the settlement blocs will be exist, and will be territorially connected to the state of Israel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Giving back the guns: Israeli settlers have been handing in their weapons. And by the end of today, the Israeli army says it would have collected more than 1,000 government-issued weapons, mostly M-16s handed out to the settlers over the last few years as protection against Gaza militants.
Officially, it's because they are leaving the Gaza Strip, but there's also fear that, in the heat of the evacuation, someone might just open fire.
The young men and women of the Israeli army, mostly conscripts doing national service, have been at the center of a bitter dispute between the state and religion.
The state has ordered them to evacuate the settlements, but many prominent rabbis have warned that to do so is to find God's will. Right now, six Israeli soldiers are AWOL; they're armed. No one really knows what they're planning to do.
It was around this time last week, when an AWOL Israeli soldier boarded a bus in the north of the country, opened fire and killed four Israeli Arabs, innocent men and women. It's believed he wanted to stop the disengagement.
And right now, the protest are continuing.
In Tel Aviv, in Rabin Square, thousands are gathering for yet another demonstration against the disengagement. Israel Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says: Once this is all over, this country will have to hug the settlers, show them a little love. But will the settlers hug back?
Earlier, I spoke with Mr. Olmert.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: What is your intelligence telling you about the renewal of fighting after the disengagement?
EHUD OLMERT, ISRAELI VICE PRIME MINISTER: Well, certainly, there is the danger, if Mahmoud Abbas will not take effective control of the Palestinian terrorist organizations, that they will resume after the disengagement their terrorist activities.
And there is a genuine fear here. It is very hard to say now what would actually happen.
VAUSE: After the disengagement, if there are still rockets and mortars being fired from Gaza into Israel, does this now mean that Israel will have a free hand to do as it pleases in Gaza?
OLMERT: What would your advice be to Israel? To sit still and do nothing? I mean, we will subscribe to the same attitude which, I think, is characterized by President George W. Bush, Prime minister Tony Blair, President Mubarak: Fight the terrorists on their own turf.
We hope that Chairman Abu Mazen, Mahmoud Abbas, chairmen of the Palestinian Authority, will do it. But if they will not do it and terror continues, then what choice is left to Israel but to reach out to those leaders and stop terror?
And, trust me, we will do everything that is essential in order to stop what they are doing there.
VAUSE: But, on the issue of the Palestinian Authority and Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority: His security forces, he complains, are hopelessly outgunned by the militant groups. It's a position supported by the U.S. envoy, General Ward.
They have old ammunition. Their weapons don't work. They need armored personnel carriers. They don't have radios that work, for example. Yet the Palestinian Authority complains that Israel is stopping them from re-arming...
OLMERT: You know, the track record is, unfortunately, somewhat different. That is that all the weapons that were provided by Israel to the Palestinians were ultimately lended to the terrorist organizations and were used to kill innocent Israelis.
So there is a certain concern and fear in Israel that this might be dangerous to our own safety.
VAUSE: Well, then, how do you resolve that dilemma, then? How do you arm the Palestinian Authority to control the militant groups?
OLMERT: There are 30 thousand security guys under the command of Abu Mazen. There's enough weapons, to the best of our intelligence and knowledge. And we know a lot that can stop the terrorist organizations.
VAUSE: So, you think they don't need new weapons?
OLMERT: They don't need helicopters and they don't need missiles ad they don't need rockets.
VAUSE: Do they need any ammunition? OLMERT: They need -- they have lots of guns. They have lots of automatic guns. They have lots of other measure that are sufficient in order to stop the terrorists.
VAUSE: There's been some criticism out there that, with the Gaza withdrawal and the construction of the West Bank barrier, that right now Israel is unilaterally deciding the borders of a future Palestinian state: that you will leave Gaza, build the fence, and that's it. It's all over.
OLMERT: There is no attempt to make the Gaza a trade-off for the West Bank. The process has not yet been finished, has not yet been completed.
VAUSE: But in many ways, that's what the prime minister has been telling the settlers. And the big settlements like Ariel and Maale Adumim saying we're giving up Gaza so we can keep Maale Adumim and Ariel...
OLMERT: Well, I'm afraid that that's not what was said. Israel kept saying, all the time, that we will not pull out from some of the major blocks of settlements. And not only that we said it, but, I will remind you that President Bush said it in his famous letter of the 14th of April, 2004.
So the fact that we are ready to make accommodations and make changes -- and we are -- doesn't mean we are ready to pull out from everywhere.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Israel's Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Coming up, what the future holds for the millions of people who call Gaza home, the Palestinians.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: For many Palestinians in Gaza, these are happy, even hopeful days. For them, it's not so much a disengagement, it's more like liberation, a step towards an independent Palestinian state. But in the short term, there is uncertainty and a good deal of fear about who will control the Gaza Strip. Will it be the moderate Palestinian Authority, or to militant Islamic group Hamas?
For more on this, CNN's Ben Wedeman has the watch tonight in Gaza City -- Ben.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, John. Well, if you talk to many Palestinians, they say the pullout is nothing short of a retreat, the first retreat by Israel from Palestinian territory since 1948. But there are many other things that are concerning people here. Many people say that after the Israeli pullout, clouds of chaos may gather over Gaza.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) WEDEMAN (voice-over): Palestinian police escort two U.N. workers in Han Unas (ph), moments after freeing them by force from their kidnappers. The kidnappers were trying to use the U.N. workers has bargaining chips in a local dispute with Palestinian officials. Pandemonium ensued. The U.N. workers were whisked away unharmed. This incident and many more are raising fears Gaza is sinking into chaos, chaos that may only deepen when Israel pulls out.
Last month, clashes broke out between Hamas and Palestinian security forces outside Gaza City. Someone set an armored personnel carrier alight. Suhab el-Askar (ph) says his house was hit by a rocket fired by Islamic jihad last week that fell short of its target in Israel. His father and his younger brother were killed, his 13- year-old cousin Sameer (ph) wounded.
Suhab says as far as he knows, the police haven't started an investigation. "Of course the authority could do something," he says, "but they don't want internal problems. So they tell us just to stick it out."
Too many militias, too many guns, and what some say is a corrupt Palestinian Authority, all contribute to a growing sense of unease. Palestinian security recruits like these are supposed to uphold the law, but they're poorly trained and equipped, afflicted by low morale.
They expect problems after the pullout, but insist they can deal with it. "There could be a bit of chaos, but we'll be able to control it," says General Samik Nasser (ph). Such confidence is rare.
Palestinian security, says Gaza psychiatrist and commentator Ayad Seraj (ph), is in shambles.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because of the corruption and the mismanagement, you have a situation where, now, Palestinian security forces, in the name of the police, for instance, police force, is completely impotent.
RAZ: The Authority insists justice will be served, but maybe not yet.
"When we have proof that a fighter has committed a crime," says Interior Ministry spokesman Tawfiq Abu Housa," we'll arrest them. If not now, later."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RAZ: Now these concerns about security are very real here in Gaza. But there is a feeling that something good is about to happen. One Palestinian I've known for many years, who lives right next to a settlement, told me once the Israelis leave, he will be able to breath -- John.
VAUSE: CNN's Ben Wedeman tonight in Gaza City. Thank you, Ben.
The success of this disengagement will append in no small part on the negotiations currently ongoing between the Israelis and the Palestinians. They don't have a good track record, but both sides do agree that there has not been an opportunity like this for years. And if all goes badly, it probably won't come around any time soon.
Mohammad Dahlan was born and raised in Gaza. He's the Palestinian minister for civil affairs, and he's negotiating with the Israelis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: What is the future for Gaza the day after the Israelis are gone?
MOHAMMAD DAHLAN, MINISTER OF CIVIL AFFAIRS (through translator): If it is up to us, the future of Gaza will be calm and stable between us and the Israelis. This will require the Israelis to be genuine about liberating the Palestinian people, and not only with deployment. We want freedom of movement at the crossing points between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and between Gaza and Israel. Freedom of movement for both individuals and goods, as well.
If Israel is only leaving, but they then seek Gaza, then it will be very difficult. If Israel is committed, and follow what we are telling them, it will mean a better future for the security for the Palestinians and the Israelis.
VAUSE: Can the Palestinian Authority maintain law and order the day after the Israelis have gone?
DAHLAN: For sure, the reason for this chaos is the occupation and the settlers. The Israeli army destroyed our security apparatus, and for sure without settlers and the Israeli presence, it will be more stable.
VAUSE: By the end of this year, who will be in charge here? The Palestinian Authority, or will it be Hamas?
DAHLAN: Regarding Hamas and the concerns that the international community's expressing, I don't think that after the withdrawal, this will be the case. Hamas will compete with the Palestinian Authority for control on power in the West Bank and Gaza, and it should be in a Democratic way, through elections.
The successor, among all the Palestinians factions, will be according to the will of Palestinian people, and it will be the one who brings them peace. If we go for peace, this will strengthen the Palestinian Authority. But if the peace process is destroyed by Sharon and his behavior, this will strengthen Hamas.
VAUSE: What if this turns out to be not Gaza first, but Gaza last?
DAHLAN: I don't think this will happen. It is not only up to Sharon to decide. We also have a active role in what happens, and we want disengagement not only from Gaza, but also from the West Bank, back to the 1967 borders. A final solution to the refugees and to Jerusalem. This is the best way to find peace. VAUSE: The Israelis who are opposed to the disengagement, the settlers and their supporters, they say the moment the Israeli troops are gone, that Gaza will then being a foothold for Islamic militants. They will smuggle in weapons from Egypt and the sea, from Lebanon and other places. Can you guarantee that won't happen?
DAHLAN: We can give all the guarantees. We don't want the Gaza Strip to be a foothold for the smugglers. We want democracy. We want civil society. We want to give hope to the Palestinian people, not for the sake of Israel, but for the sake of the Palestinian people.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Mohammad Dahlan. That is our special report. But stay with CNN as this historic event unfolds in the days and weeks to come.
I'm John Vause. Thanks for watching.
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