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CNN Live Today
American Discusses Living Through Israeli Bombing
Aired April 01, 2002 - 10:18 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: One of the twists of the recent attacks on Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah, foreigners on Palestinians who moved in and one of those, an American who was injured in that attack. Our Bill Hemmer, we're going back to him now with the latest -- I guess, Bill, you had a chance to talk to this American?
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, indeed we have, Daryn, and hello again from Jerusalem. Here is the situation as we understand it right now. Beit Jala is a town that sits right up near Bethlehem about six miles south from our location here in Jerusalem. We understand about a hundred peace activists were demonstrating, marching earlier today, when they came under fire from the Israeli army. We are told the Israelis fired at their feet. Five are injured, and a sixth, a Palestinian photographer, we are told, is injured as well.
The Israeli army indicates they are checking this report, but Paul LaRudee is an American. By way of telephone, he joins us now near the scene there. And, sir, if you can hear me OK, tell us what your role was and what happened in this march a short time ago.
PAUL LARUDEE, INJURED IN BEIT JALA: Well, I was one of the marchers, and I was near the front of the group. And we were attempting to visit some of the houses, which had been invaded by the Israeli military forces, just to check on the families and the residents of those homes to see how they were. But in order to do that, we had to engage the military force and hopefully get their cooperation in permitting us to do that.
HEMMER: Well, tell us what happened then when apparently shots were fired. What unraveled there?
LARUDEE: Well, as we approached them, we tried to signal that we wanted to talk, and we also spoke to them in English. But their reaction was to simply fire at us.
HEMMER: You say fire at you. The report we said fired at your feet. What happened, please?
LARUDEE: I don't think there were any cases where they actually fired directly at body parts, as far as we know.
HEMMER: OK. Then, sir, tell us who was injured -- who was injured, how many? LARUDEE: There were (UNINTELLIGIBLE) injured, but they weren't firing only at the feet. There were several head injuries. We suspect that what happened there was that they fired on the stone walls surrounding the street, on either side of the street, which caused it to hit. There was one woman who was -- probably the worst injury was to the stomach, and she -- as I understand it, she is being operated on right now.
HEMMER: And, sir -- Mr. LaRudee, were you given a warning first to clear the area from the Israeli army?
LARUDEE: If there was a warning, we -- they didn't, for example, fire over our heads or use other means. They -- the first warning, if you want call it that, was firing at our feet and the walls.
HEMMER: OK. And five demonstrators hit, plus one photographer, is that the same number that you have right now.
LARUDEE: Well, I can't confirm exactly, because my own information is from other sources.
HEMMER: OK.
LARUDEE: However, I can tell you that I saw at least six people wounded, and at least two of those...
HEMMER: Now, Paul LaRudee is an American...
LARUDEE: At least two of those were head wounds.
HEMMER: Got it. Thank you for your time. Listen, we have a brutal satellite delay here by way of the telephone line, but nonetheless, I thank you for talking us to. Paul LaRudee, an American demonstrator apparently just south of here, marching on the town of Beit Jala, which is right near Bethlehem. And apparently there have been people who have been injured there.
This, Daryn, is just one case that we have heard about throughout the entire West Bank. We are hearing reports virtually every 15 minutes or 30 minutes about different incidents, but clearly this is somewhat expected after the announcement last night further military action throughout the West Bank and quite possibly in the Gaza as well. We'll track it. A lot to keep track of so far today -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Bill Hemmer in Jerusalem -- Bill, thank you. We will be checking with you throughout the morning here from CNN. And we will continue our in-depth coverage from the Mideast. Join Christiane Amanpour tonight. That looks like a picture of Bill, but it will be Christiane hosting live in Jerusalem tonight. It airs at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 5:00 p.m. Pacific.
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