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CNN Live Today

Israel Gains Control of Jenin Refugee Camp

Aired April 11, 2002 - 13:35   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: The Israeli army has announced that it has gained full control of the Jenin refugee camp. There has been the scene of the deadliest fighting of Israel's military campaign. And reporters are just now getting a glimpse of the aftermath of the fighting there. CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Jenin. He joins us now with the very latest. Ben, what can you tell us?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Leon, as you said, it seems that the Israelis are in full control of this West Bank city. We have not heard any gunfire for several hours. And unlike last night, there are no helicopters flying above the city and specifically over the Jenin refugee camp.

Now, early this morning, according to the Israeli army, about 50 armed Palestinians gave themselves up. That was really, it appears, the last group of resistance within the camp. Now, as a result of the intense fighting in and around that camp, as many as 3,000 people have been made homeless. That according to the United Nations. Now, the Israeli army acknowledges that probably that figure is correct. They say that, in their words, terrorists took over the camp and, therefore, people had to flee.

The curfew has been lifted on the city of Jenin. People were allowed to go around today for about two hours to get bread, to resupply. And at this point, it is very difficult to say how many people were killed in the fighting here. The Israelis say that as many as 100 were killed; the Red Cross, 200; and Palestinian officials saying as many as 500.

Now the Palestinian Authority is asking for a U.N. inquiry into the fighting in Jenin to determine exactly what happened here. At this point, it is very difficult for us to determine that because the Israeli army has maintained a fairly tight clampdown on the city, not allowing journalists to get in -- Leon.

HARRIS: All right, Ben, does that mean that there is no way for us to get in and verify these numbers of the dead or the displaced, as we have been getting these reports? There is no way since you haven't had access?

WEDEMAN: No. Access has been very difficult. We tried to get in from various different routes, trying to use a bit of local geographical knowledge. But every time we got close, we were met by Israeli patrols who turned us back. One group of journalists did get into the city very briefly, but they had their press cards confiscated. They were given the choice: either you give up your press cards or you give up your cameras. They gave up their press cards and were forced to leave.

So at this point, what is going on here is a waiting game, waiting for the Israelis either to allow us in or for the Israelis to leave at which point we will definitely be rushing in -- Leon.

HARRIS: Ben, I know you don't want to speculate, but I have to ask you this. We haven't seen this sort of, I guess, clampdown or shutout of the journalists like this, at least not a total shutout like this. Is there any sense there that perhaps the Israelis are trying to hide something there or what?

WEDEMAN: Well, it is difficult to say and certainly there is an impression among many that they are trying to hide something. But given the fact that we can't get in, it would be mere speculation. We talk to people who come out of there and they talk of mass graves. They talk about bodies being bulldozed into the sewers. But we don't know. We really have to get in and see for ourselves before we can really go into any depth whatsoever. So I don't want to speculate. I do want to get in.

HARRIS: I understand. And we want to you get in. And we also want you to be careful while you're over there. We know it's been a long day for you and I understand the coughing there, so get some rest, Ben. We sure appreciate the report. Ben Wedeman reporting live for us now from the Jenin refugee camp there.

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