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CNN Live Saturday

Palestinians Protest Israeli Seizure of Unofficial PLO Headquarters Building in Jerusalem

Aired August 11, 2001 - 15:05   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: And in the Middle East this week, a woman from New Jersey, she was pregnant, she was killed in Jerusalem, triggering renewed concerns in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. Adding to the tensions, Israeli police seized the Orient House, it's a PLO unofficial headquarters, and that has many Palestinians angry.

CNN's Ben Wedeman has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Jerusalem, Palestinians insist on their right to reach the Orient House. And for the second day in a row, Israeli police refuses to let them pass. They were protesting Israel's occupation of this Palestinian political and cultural center in the wake of the suicide bombing of a Jerusalem pizzeria.

For Palestinians, Orient House is a potent symbol of their aspirations for an independent Palestinian state with its capitol in Jerusalem.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is not Israel! This is Palestine! Jerusalem is Palestine!

WEDEMAN: Arguments quickly led to pushing and shoving.

(on camera): Israel's closure of the Orient House has created yet another source of friction in this city where emotions already run high.

(voice-over): Old style fights with rocks and insults hurled between Palestinian and Israeli youth followed the demonstration, until would-be peacemakers from abroad put themselves in the middle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shalom, shalom, peace.

WEDEMAN: But truces and cease-fires usually don't last very long here. Within minutes, it was back to business as usual.

Israeli police arrested 12 demonstrators, including non- Palestinians who joined in the protest. One policeman was injured.

The demonstrators vowed they will keep coming back until Israeli police quit Orient House and stay away for good.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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