Mike Hanna: Continuing conflict takes high toll on Palestinians

Mike Hanna

Mike Hanna is CNN's Jerusalem bureau chief. He joined the CNN.com chat room from Jerusalem on Wednesday, August 15, 2001. This is the second interview in a two-part series on the personal lives of Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East. The first was with Jerrold Kessel on August 8, 2001.

CNN: Thank you for joining us today, Mike Hanna, and welcome.

MIKE HANNA: Hello to everybody in the chat room. It's good to be here.

CNN: How are the daily lives of Palestinians affected by the continuing conflict in the region?

HANNA: The lives of Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are affected in every way possible. They deal with constant roadblocks, which change position regularly. Sometimes it is not possible for children to go to school. Sometimes it is not possible for people to get to the hospital. This restriction of movement is just one aspect of what Palestinians regard as the Israeli occupation.

CNN: How have Palestinian businesses or tourism to the area been impacted?

VIDEO CNN's Mike Hanna says Israeli tanks have taken up positions and bulldozers destroyed a Palestinian police station (August 13) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Ben Wedeman reports the ongoing Mideast conflict has many Palestinian communities feeling helpless and frustrated (August 14) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   EXTRA INFORMATION In-depth: Mideast Sturggle for Peace     RESOURCES Message Board: Mideast peace   Jerrold Kessel: Impact of Mideast conflict on Israelis

HANNA: The impact on the economy has been massive. Tourism itself has virtually ended. For example, a casino that had been opened a few years ago near Jericho has been shut down since the beginning of the conflict, some 11 months ago. Jericho itself, which had thousands of tourists each day, is now a virtual ghost town, with no tourists visiting there whatsoever.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: Have any Americans been impacted in the region?

HANNA: Most recently, an American visitor to Israel, a 31-year-old student, was killed in the suicide bomb attack that took place in the middle of Jerusalem last Thursday. The United States authorities have issued a travel warning, suggesting that Americans do not visit the region.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: What course of action may be reasonably expected from the Palestinians?

HANNA: The Palestinian leadership contends that it wants the full implementation of United Nations resolutions concerning the establishment of a Palestinian state, and a withdrawal of Israeli forces from land Israel occupied in 1967. Israel contends that Palestinians are attempting to achieve these goals through violence. Palestinians argue that the violence results from frustration with a negotiation process that produced no tangible results.

CNN: What is the overall mood of the Palestinian people? Anger? Hope?

HANNA: There is very little hope evident in Gaza and the West Bank. There is, publicly at least, a great deal of anger manifested against Israel. There is also a deep sense of frustration among ordinary Palestinians, that their political leaders appear unable to come up with any long- term solutions.

CHAT PARTICIPANT: Do any Palestinians oppose Arafat's course of action?

HANNA: Publicly at least, there has been no dissent expressed against the Palestinian Authority. Some observers argue that to express opposition to the Palestinian leadership at a time when Palestinians believe they are under attack would be seen by the leadership as undermining Palestinian aspirations. There was, before the beginning of this intifada, widespread criticism of the Palestinian Authority and widespread allegations of corruption and mismanagement. This criticism is no longer evident. All Palestinians apparently want to present a united front against Israel.

CNN: What about grassroots alternative efforts to initiate peace or goodwill with Israelis?

HANNA: Once again, there is no sign of any peace movement in the Palestinian territories. There have, however, in recent weeks, been a couple of meetings at which Palestinians and Israeli peace activists were present. But generally, there is no Palestinian equivalent of, for example, Israel's Peace Now movement.

CNN: Do you have any final thoughts to share with us?

HANNA: Israel says it is doing everything it can to ease the suffering of ordinary Palestinians, to take active steps to lift the ongoing blockade of Palestinian areas. Israel says, however, that it cannot do so if that means Israeli civilians will come under attack from Palestinian militants. But many Palestinians argue that the Israeli measures are not based on security alone but are also acts of collective punishment for the actions of Palestinian militants.

CNN: Thank you for joining us today.

HANNA: Thank you very much. Good to talk to everyone again.

Mike Hanna is joining the chat via telephone from Jerusalem. CNN provided a typist. The above is an edited transcript of the interview on Wednesday, August 15, 2001.