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CNN Live Today

Powell To Meet With Arafat on Saturday

Aired April 10, 2002 - 10:51   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: Meanwhile, as Palestinians surrender, Israel vows more military action, and Washington's top diplomat continues his mission to search for peace. Those are just some of today's developments in the Middle East.

Our John Vause is in Jerusalem, and has the latest. John, hello.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hi, Daryn. We've got a bit of information for you about a meeting which has been going on for about an hour and a half now between four senior Palestinian aides to Yasser Arafat. They have been meeting with the Palestinian leader in Ramallah. That meeting lasting an hour and a half now.

The chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erakat will now hold a meeting with the U.S. special envoy here, Anthony Zinni, and also from the Israelis, we're being told that they will now allow the Palestinian leader to meet with the secretary of state, Colin Powell on Saturday, and that meeting will take place in Yasser Arafat's compound, the rather damaged compound which has been hit by tanks and artillery and been surrounded by troops and tanks for quite some time now, ever since this incursion began -- excuse me.

We're also -- want to bring you up to date with that bombing -- that suicide bombing in Haifa. The suicide bomber boarding commuter bus during rush hour around 7:15 local time. The Israeli police say the suicide bomber boarded the bus at the first stop. About 15 minutes later, he set off the explosives.

It was a massive blast by all accounts. Drivers who were behind the bus say that the bus actually jumped into the air several feet before coming crashing down. They report pieces of the bus flying into the air, debris going everywhere. We're told eight people killed. Another 14 injured, three seriously hurt in that suicide bombing which the militant group Hamas has claimed responsibility for, and which, they say, there will be many more attacks on Israelis, a direct result, they say, of the Israeli incursion into a number of West Bank towns, notably the settlement of Jenin where the fighting has been fairly fierce and which all but appears to be wrapping up at this stage with the surrender of hundreds of Palestinian gunmen -- Daryn.

KAGAN: John Vause in Jerusalem. John, thank you. We will check back with you later thoughout the day, especially after we hear Benjamin Netanyahu speak here in the U.S. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com