Committee to Protect
Journalists issued a protest letter to Prime Minister Sharon, saying
that Israel had an obligation to allow journalists to work freely in
the West Bank, after Israel revoked credentials of two Abu Dhabbi
journalists, and threatened legal action against CNN, NBC for ignoring
military orders and broadcasting from Rammalah. And my question is,
does the President believe that his father's field commander in Desert
Storm, General Schwarzkopf, allowed media to go wherever they wanted in
that campaign?
MR. FLEISCHER: Les, for a moment, I thought you had a half-serious
question. (Laughter.)
Q Do you think that's not serious?
MR. FLEISCHER: Let me take the first half of your question.
Q The Committee to Protect Journalists thinks it's very serious,
Ari, and I'm sure are appalled that you would make a joke out of this.
But go ahead.
MR. FLEISCHER: Thank you, Lester. The first half of your question
is a serious one. And that is an issue that the State Department will
look into with Israel, about treatment of journalists.
Q Are you saying that Schwarzkopf did allow media to --
MR. FLEISCHER: Les, I would never accept all the characterizations
from what took place years before the President got here.
Q What do you mean by "look into," and is that a sign that U.S.
is --
MR. FLEISCHER: Treatment of journalists is always an important
issue, around the world. This is something that the State Department
will look into with Israeli authorities.
Q Has Secretary Powell mentioned it --
Q The lack of access?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think it's going to be done at State Department
levels that are appropriate dealing with this issue.
Q Is it -- a lack of access?
MR. FLEISCHER: Lack of access?
Q A lack of access to covering the war, or --
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I can't speak to the exact -- no, no, no.
This is involving the specific case of journalists operating in the
area. And that's an issue that will the State Department will take up
with Israel -- we'll look into with Israel.
Q But is the President aware that IDF forces have shot at
journalists operating, working in the West Bank in Ramallah?
MR. FLEISCHER: Again, I know this is an issue that has been looked
into by State and will be looked into with Israeli authorities and the
President.
Q But it's not something that the Secretary of State wants to
bring up with the Prime Minister, at that level?
MR. FLEISCHER: I couldn't tell you exactly at what level this is
going to come up. Unfortunately, the treatment of journalists around
the world is an issue that comes up from time to time in places,
particularly where there is violence. Unfortunately, it is not a new
issue to journalism, and --
Q Is the U.S. protesting this?
MR. FLEISCHER: Again, I've told you what the State Department is
going to do with this.
Q Ari, my follow-up?
MR. FLEISCHER: You don't have a follow-up. We have lots of other
hands --
Q Will the President --
MR. FLEISCHER: Right here, over Les's shoulder.
Q Chairman Arafat has been blamed for the suicide bombs. But
according to the Arab American Association, the council here, these
won't stop until the Jews and the Palestinian people have some better
expectations. What do you think the Israeli government can do to
create better expectations and allow them to think that everything is
going to be better than just --
MR. FLEISCHER: The President believes that, one, there needs to be
a reduction of the violence, that it makes it much harder to get into
any of the political issues, the peace-related issues, until the
violence has diminished.
But the President's spoken out repeatedly about the plight of the
Palestinians, about the need to try to find a way to open the borders
so the Palestinians can have meaningful employment, can have job
opportunities, a chance for economic success and advancement.
So long as there's violence, though, it's hard for the borders to
be open. And that gets right to the core of the issues, and that is
why the President has General Zinni there and the President is going to
continue to work so hard to bring people together. It is a legitimate
issue. It is why the President spoke out about the need to create a
state called Palestine.
Q Thank you.
MR. FLEISCHER: Thank you.
END 1:30 P.M. EST