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CNN Live Today

Doctor With Medical Release Association Discusses Afghan Situation

Aired April 01, 2002 - 10:05   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now, to the siege in the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Sharon says that his nation is at war against terror, and that is evident today as Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen faced off in the West Bank.

Our Bill Hemmer is there. He is in Jerusalem. He joins us now live with the very latest -- hello, Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, Leon, and good evening from Jerusalem. There is a lot happening right now throughout the West Bank.

Let's start you off this hour in the town of Ramallah. Day four now for Yasser Arafat, still confined, still inside what remains of his besieged compound. In fact, we continued to get some live pictures earlier today from that compound, but Arafat again inside, holed up.

Meanwhile, though, the fighting does continue in the town. In fact, some pictures that our CNN crew in Ramallah captured a short time ago. Small-arms fire exchanged, larger explosions seen inside the corner of a building there. So clearly the situation in Ramallah remains tense once again today, as these pictures you are watching now can prove.

Meanwhile, a few hours ago, also some more pictures showing detainees -- Palestinian detainees picked up by Israeli troops moving into the area. Difficult to say right now, Leon, how many people have been picked up. We tried to get some numbers over the weekend. The last count we had early on Sunday, which was 24 hours ago, at least 150 arrests have been made there. But clearly based on this videotape, that number has gone up today alone.

Meanwhile, Shimon Peres, the foreign minister speaking on CNN last hour, appealed to Yasser Arafat once again to stop what he says -- stop the violence, call for the cease-fire and stop inciting Palestinian militants to carry out violence against Israelis. He says five suicide bombings in five days is far too much, and Shimon Peres once again reiterating the Israeli position. They say despite the military action taking place right now, Israeli does not plan on staying in the West Bank.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SHIMON PERES, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER: We don't intend -- I want to make it clear. We don't intend to remain in the territories. We are not there to occupy them. We are not there to kill Arafat. We are not there to dismantle the Palestinian Authority. We are there with a clear demand, do what you promised, do what you have to do for the sake of your own people. Don't do it for Israeli.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Meanwhile, Saeb Erakat, the Palestinian negotiator that we have talked to so many times, right now in his West Bank town of Jericho, spoke immediately after Shimon Peres. He is appealing directly to the U.S. and directly to President Bush. He says, in his words, that Ariel Sharon so far has hijacked the Palestinian cause. Saeb Erakat from a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: The situation is very grave, and I want it address President Bush, because what we need now is action. This U.S. inaction is really very, very bad. Sharon last night slammed the door with his speech and all those who tried to put the peace process back on track. We need to see a sense of direction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Throughout the region now getting reports of violence in Beit Jala, getting reports of Ramallah again. Let's go back now to Ramallah by telephone. Dr. Mustafa Barghouti is with us. He has helped out in a hospital there in Ramallah.

Sir, can you help me? And if so, what is the situation? We last talked 24 hours ago. But based on what you see right now, update us please.

DR. MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI, MEDICAL RELEASE ASSOCIATION: Let me tell you what is happening on the ground to my organization. The Union of Palestinian Medical Release Association, which is an organization that provides health care and first aid for injured people. Our center, the main center was shelled by the Israeli army, and after shelling, the police, they came with loudspeakers, and all of the medical staff and Italian volunteers, including a member of European parliament, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) continue out of the building. All of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) is out of the building, and now they are preparing to blast the building.

They prevented us from providing treatment to injured people, and they arrested the injured people. And now, they are using one of our doctors, Dr. Mohammad Scafi (ph), as a human shield between the Israeli soldiers that are moving around. This is the last...

(CROSSTALK)

HAMMER: Doctor, as you say -- Doctor, I apologize for the interruption, but I want to be clear on this. You say the Israeli military is about to bomb and blow up this building? What is inside the building that is targeted right now?

BARGHOUTI: They claim that -- well, they were attacking a nearby building, there was a clash in a nearby building, but in this building, there is nothing. And they are claiming that because there is a place that is close, one building is close, that much of what is inside that place, maybe it's a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) room, they want to blast the whole building. And more than that, they are using a doctor, a person who is providing medical care to people as a human shield.

HAMMER: Dr. Barghouti, you heard Shimon Peres earlier before you came on our air imploring Yasser Arafat to stop inciting violence, in his words. Has Yasser Arafat said anything today have you heard there?

BARGHOUTI: I believe that Mr. Shimon Peres deserves the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I do not see liar like him, and what he is saying is totally wrong. At this very moment, the Israeli tanks are inside Palestinian cities. The Israeli tanks are affecting our homes. The Palestinians are totally (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to one of the most powerful armies in the Middle East, the fourth probably most powerful army in the world. They are occupying -- reoccupying the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They would have killed Mr. Arafat yesterday, if it wasn't for the foreign volunteers sitting with him trying to provide a human shield to him. I don't believe a word he says...

HEMMER: All right, Doctor...

BARGHOUTI: ... because each time he said something it was a lie.

HEMMER: OK, Doctor. Dr. Mustafa Barghouti there again in Ramallah -- we will certainly keep track of that with CNN's crew, including Michael Holmes has been on the scene there now for almost a week running there with that siege continuing in Ramallah. The Israeli government, Ariel Sharon, last night indicating in a national address, Leon. They say the current war right now is a war on terrorism, not against the Palestinian people.

And right now, it is anybody's guess how long this operation will last. We have asked in terms of days or weeks, but clearly no clear direction or answer on that. In fact, aerial Sharon said quite directly last night there will be no cease-fire until the terrorist infrastructure, he says, his words now, "is uprooted there throughout the West Bank."

And you know, Leon, from an outside perspective, a week ago, many people thought we were working toward a cease-fire in the Middle East, but clearly we have gone exactly in the other direction at this point. And again, the day is relatively young here, relatively early, no telling right now what more may happen in the Middle East before the day is out -- Leon.

HAMMER: Exactly. And the longer that situation goes on, the clear it is exactly who this war is being waged over, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this infrastructure as Ariel Sharon mentioned, or if it is on the people. We'll talk about that in the days to come no doubt. Bill Hemmer, thank you very much -- stay safe over there, buddy. We'll talk with you later on.

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