Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Israel Continues Military Operations Despite U.S. Requests

Aired April 11, 2002 - 12:12   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.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Secretary Powell arrives in Israel in a matter of hours, and he will meet with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon tomorrow. And against Sharon's protest, Powell expects to meet Saturday with Yasser Arafat. CNN's John Vause is in Jerusalem where the Israeli government has yet to meet the U.S. demand to halt operations against the Palestinians. Hi, John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredericka. That stance by the Israeli government further complicating the peace mission by the U.S. secretary of state. And, in fact, just a short time ago, the Israeli prime minister very defiant, saying that this operation is not over, is saying that the Israeli forces will not be pulling out, not from Jenin, not from Nablus, not from Ramallah.

And it's in Jenin that the military says that they now control the Jenin refugee camp. But Ariel Sharon says the forces there will stay even though they have brought that camp under control, the Israeli military says hundreds of Palestinian gunmen have been giving themselves up. There was some reports earlier today of sporadic fighting, but that certainly seems to have died down as the day has gone on.

There are claims of the death toll there, conflicting claims from both sides. The Palestinians say up to 500 or possibly more people have been killed in that refugee camp. The Israelis deny that, calling it a big lie. The Israelis, in fact, taking heavy casualties themselves. More than 20 Israeli soldiers were killed. They say the death toll on their side was so high because they deliberately tried to avoid civilian casualties on their side.

Now also the aide agencies, desperate to get into that Jenin refugee camp, where they say thousands of residents have been held up in a curfew, basically held at gunpoint, and have been denied basic services like food and water, electricity. They say they need to get in there also to deliver medicine and also tend to the wounded.

The Israeli military is still rolling on. A number of incursions overnight in the West Bank towns, of Bir Zeit. There's also another one in Daharyeh, which is just near Hebron. The Israelis also pulling out from 22 villages and two small towns. The Palestinians though denying that that is in fact a pullout. They have counterclaimed by saying that is a big lie, that they are saying that the Israelis are not pulling out. So claim and counterclaim yet again. Also in Ariel Sharon's statement earlier today, he said that the job of the Israeli forces has been completed in Bethlehem, but he says the Israeli forces will stay there. There is a standoff underway at the Church of Nativity. Inside that church, up to 200 Palestinians as well as 40 church workers as well. The Israelis say that the Palestinians are holding the church workers hostage. The church puts a different spin on it. It says that the workers do not want to leave because they are afraid of what might happen to the church, that those workers inside are the custodians, and they in fact say the Palestinians are seeking refuge, seeking some kind of sanctuary from the Israeli incursion.

Earlier on CNN, Canon Andrew White spoke of the deteriorating situation inside the Church of Nativity. This is some of what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CANON ANDREW WHITE, ANGLICAN ENVOY TO MIDEAST: What we are doing is talking, and all sides are trying their very best to try and bring a rapid resolution to this terrible problem because the humanitarian crisis is going to grow very rapidly, and it can best be described as a volcano in the Church of the Nativity, which is waiting to erupt. And it will erupt at any moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Andrew White makes the point that, in fact, 200 people have been -- more than 200 people -- have been living inside that church for nine days now, and obviously that situation can't continue, Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks very much, John Vause. And we will be talking again to Canon White coming up later on.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com