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Kelly Wallace: Overcoming violence 'a very difficult task'
(CNN) -- A Palestinian suicide bomber struck in Israel, near the West Bank, Monday after Israel closed off the territory. Despite five suicide bombings in two days, political leaders are emphasizing the need to press on with the so-called "road map" to peace. CNN anchor Miles O'Brien talked to CNN correspondent Kelly Wallace in Afula, scene of the latest bombing. WALLACE: We just arrived here in the town of Afula, outside the shopping mall where this attack occurred. Israeli emergency officials are combing through the damage here. You can get a sense of how powerful the blast was because the entire entrance has basically been blown away by this suicide bombing attack, which took place Monday afternoon around 5:30. A lot of people were here at this mall. According to Israeli police, there was a security guard checking any person who entered the building, and apparently was checking the suicide bomber when the person blew himself up. Three Israelis were killed, according to Israeli police, including the security guard, who many people say is responsible for preventing this from being much worse. Forty-seven [people] were wounded. It is now the fifth suicide bombing in this area in 48 hours -- one on the West Bank on Saturday, two in Jerusalem on Sunday and seven people killed in a bus bombing Sunday morning. Then, earlier Monday in Gaza, a man on a bicycle blew himself up near an Israeli military patrol, wounding three Israeli soldiers. Of course, the question is, where do things go from here? The Israeli government is basically saying that these groups that are responsible for these attacks are -- quote -- "declaring war" on the new government of the Palestinian community, led by Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. We're told the group Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility [for this attack] in a phone call to a news organization. [In] the four other attacks, the group Hamas has claimed responsibility. As for where things go from here, Palestinians and the Israelis continue to say they're going to try to push forward and keep working on this so-called "road map" for Middle East peace. But obviously, the suicide bombing campaign being waged by these radical Palestinian groups that are against any return to negotiations are again making a statement with this latest attack today here. O'BRIEN: Kelly, those calls to press on as they march down that road map are all well and good, but clearly, there is a strong sense out there that whatever happens [will] be thwarted by more bombings. Is it realistic to think of any progress at this juncture, or can they overcome this terrible backdrop of violence? WALLACE: It will be a very difficult task. Because as you said, every time there has been a step forward in the peace process, it has been met with violence and a step back. And so you heard President Bush say today that the peace process must go forward. The Israelis say Prime Minister [Ariel] Sharon definitely still wants to continue talking and working with Abbas. The two sides, though, still don't see eye-to-eye on what should happen next. The Israelis say the Palestinians must first improve security and crack down on these radical groups before the Israelis can take any steps. The Palestinians say part of the problem here is the Israelis aren't accepting and implementing that road map -- pulling troops out of Palestinian towns, freezing settlements, doing things the Palestinians say would give Abbas a little more political strength to stand up to these radical Palestinian groups. But again, a very, very difficult challenge [lies] ahead. The radical Palestinian groups are sort of making a statement here, saying they are very much against any return to negotiation and against the new government. O'BRIEN: And I guess even if the Israelis announced today that they were ceasing and desisting on all settlement activity, it's very likely these bombings will continue. WALLACE: It is likely. These groups would say that if what they call the Israeli occupation comes to an end, they would stop and there would be quiet. If Israeli troops pulled out of all Palestinian towns, there would be some quiet. But again, that all is a question mark. Miles, you know, the Israeli government has taken some steps in light of these attacks, including a total closure of Palestinian access into Israel from the West Bank and Gaza. And some local police have been asking, how did this person potentially get from the West Bank here to Afula, which I should point out, is north of the West Bank. It is one of the closest cities to the West Bank town of Jenin. It has seen its share of terror attacks here and suicide bombings last year. So some questions [are being asked] about security measures in place and how this suicide bomber was able to get here to Afula for this attack.
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