ad info

 
CNN.comTranscripts
 
Editions | myCNN | Video | Audio | Headline News Brief | Feedback  

 

  Search
 
 

 

TOP STORIES

Bush signs order opening 'faith-based' charity office for business

Rescues continue 4 days after devastating India earthquake

DaimlerChrysler employees join rapidly swelling ranks of laid-off U.S. workers

Disney's GO.com is a goner

(MORE)

MARKETS
4:30pm ET, 4/16
144.70
8257.60
3.71
1394.72
10.90
879.91
 


WORLD

U.S.

POLITICS

LAW

TECHNOLOGY

ENTERTAINMENT

 
TRAVEL

ARTS & STYLE



(MORE HEADLINES)
 
CNN Websites
Networks image


Saturday Morning News

Israelis, Palestinians Explore New Paths to Peace

Aired December 16, 2000 - 8:34 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: When the last, latest round of Israeli-Palestinian violence erupted in September, the Mideast peace process was suspended. Now, after 12 weeks and more than 350 deaths, the two sides are exploring the possibility of renewing peace talks.

We get more now from CNN's Jerrold Kessel in Jerusalem.

Hello, Jerrold.

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

And it has been a day when there have been less clashes than customary. There have been some sporadic incidents in the West Bank towns of Hebron and Ramallah today, but in Gaza, Palestinians have been burying a 22-year-old man who was shot and killed in an incident near the border with Israel in Gaza. Israel says he was trying to knife a soldier, had a bomb on him. And this man buried in Gaza this morning, a very emotional funeral, people chanting "Long Live the Knife!" and "Long Live the Gun!" and Down With the Peace Talks!"

This is possibly a man linked to one of the radical Islamic groups. And the, but this, he was one of six Palestinians shot and killed in a series of incidents and clashes yesterday between Israel -- Israeli troops and Palestinians.

This, amidst those tentative moves to get the two sides back to talking, not just a way of getting the violence down, but talking peace again. And we're joined here in Jerusalem by the chief Palestinian peace negotiator, Saeb Erakat, attended that meeting, which may have been something of a breakthrough meeting, the night before last in Gaza between Yasir Arafat and Israel's Foreign Minister, Shlomo Ben Ami (ph).

Thanks very much for joining us, Saeb.

That meeting, where has it left you and the Israelis? Are you back headed towards negotiating peace once more?

SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: I think it's premature to jump to any conclusions and I don't want to raise the expectations because, Jerrold, I will tell you, as long -- and when we say that we have real negotiations, it has to come in the form of a summit between President Arafat, Mr. Barak and President Clinton. So everything that will precede this, we should look at in terms of preparing and in terms of propping, in terms of and turning staunch. I would not exaggerate the meeting between President Arafat and Mr. Ben Ami, but I think President Arafat reiterated our full commitment for a peace deal that will ensure the end of Israeli occupation.

KESSEL: This, these contacts, as you are describing them, rather than full scale negotiations, preliminary moves towards that kind of summit, they were going to get underway as early as next week. We hear from the United States that they may be issuing just such an invitation to you and the Israelis.

ERAKAT: We haven't received the invitations yet but we are in contact as Palestinians with the American administration. I think the Israelis are in contact with the Americans. It's a possibility that we will go there to continue the parallel Palestinian and American talks and the preparation of Israeli-Americans and I will not exclude, you know, meetings of both parties there. But so far we haven't received the invitation to come.

KESSEL: How crucial is the American involvement now at this stage?

ERAKAT: I think with the situation between both sides now and the suspicions and the lack of trust, a third party involvement becomes a must.

KESSEL: January 20th when President Clinton leaves the White House, hands over to President-elect Bush, is that the critical date by when you believe you have to have done a deal or it will be shelved for some time?

ERAKAT: I think all efforts are being exerted now in order to ensure a conclusion of an agreement by this date simply because every one of us knows that for the last seven and a half years President Clinton got acquainted with all the details of the issues and we want to make an agreement as soon as possible. But this would require the decisions of Mr. Barak ending the Israeli occupation.

KESSEL: In a word, is it possible?

ERAKAT: We'll have to make it possible. We need it.

KESSEL: Thanks very much, Saeb Erakat, giving something of an optimistic appraisal of the prospects of getting back to the negotiating table. Whether that can lead to a peace deal, something else. But two dates looming large on the calendar, that 20th of January time when President Clinton will hand over the White House to President-elect Bush and just beyond there an Israeli election, which could also be, have a telling impact on the shape of these negotiations in these critical weeks ahead.

Miles, back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right, that's CNN's Jerrold Kessel in Jerusalem. Thanks much, sir.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

 Search   


Back to the top  © 2001 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.