Скачать или смотреть White House reax on latest bombing, MidEast crisis

(19 Jun 2002)

1. White House Spokesman Ari Fleischer walks into briefing
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Ari Fleischer, White House spokesman
"Well, the president is looking for the right time to make the remarks that address the situation in the Middle East. Violence has been going on in the Middle East for too long. And the president wants very much to work with all the parties, as he has been doing in his meetings with the Israelis as well as the Arab nations, and help finding a way out of this violence. The president condemns this latest attack. The president was informed of it just moments ago. And the president is determined still to find a way to help the parties to find peace."
3. Fleischer speaking
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ari Fleischer, White House Spokesman (in response to a question about whether Bush delayed his speech after Tuesday's bombing or only after Wednesday night's bombing)
"Well, let me just say the president wants to give a speech at a time when it will have the maximum impact to bring the maximum prospects for peace to the region and the president will make that determination about what that right time is. Clearly acts of terrorism present threats to all in the region, threats of course to Israel, the Israeli people and security of Israel and acts of terrorism also diminish the hopes, the legitimate hopes of the Palestinian people."
5. Fleischer speaking

STORYLINE:

A speech by President George W. Bush which was to address the difficult issue Palestinian statehood was put on hold Wednesday after a second deadly bombing in Jerusalem in two days and as Israel moved to reoccupy Palestinian areas of the West Bank in response.

On a day when a new attack killed at least three people at a bus stop in north Jerusalem, administration officials said a presidential announcement at this sensitive stage in the Arab-Israeli conflict would be unlikely to have a positive impact.

Spokesman Ari Fleischer made the announcement at the White House. Fleischer made plain that Bush has decided on his message, but was waiting for the right moment.

How long Bush might hold off was being taken up at the White House by the president and his advisers, who themselves were split on whether it was wise for the United States to be endorsing statehood while the cycle of violence continued.

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