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CNN Live At Daybreak

Update on Events in Middle East

Aired April 16, 2002 - 05:30   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now for an update on events in the Middle East we turn to CNN's Jerrold Kessel in Jerusalem -- good morning, Jerrold.

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

And for the fifth -- this is into the fifth day of the Powell mediation mission here between Israelis and Palestinians. But for the first time we have had some rather optimistic statements from the secretary of state. I would emphasis "rather," rather than stating outright that it is optimistic.

(UNINTELLIGIBLE) Mr. Powell had to say as he came out from meeting with Palestinian humanitarian organizations represented (UNINTELLIGIBLE) those organizations was, "We are making progress." But he said it's not clear what exactly we will be able to achieve and what we won't be able to achieve over the next 24 hours, which clearly, Mr. Powell said, would be the critical time.

But he did say that -- and this is why I say it's rather optimistic rather than optimistic as such -- he said that it's not clear that we'll be able to go so far as to reach a formal cease-fire statement between the two sides. But what seems to be the case now, as Mr. Powell prepares for his third meeting with Israel's Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, later this afternoon, and has postponed that meeting with Yasser Arafat, which was tentatively set for today until tomorrow -- and as you rightly pointed out, that is seen as something of an optimistic omen rather than a negative, the postponement of the Arafat meeting.

Because later today, Palestinian negotiators will be meeting with members of Mr. Powell's delegation to try to hammer out the terms and the wording of a joint statement which will refer both to the renunciation of terror by the Palestinians to a kind of stipulation of a timetable for the Israeli withdrawal from the areas of which the Israeli forces have reoccupied over the last nearly three weeks now in their military offensive against terror. And, perhaps some indications of a political road map towards the implementation of the political aspects of a deal between Israel and the Palestinians toward the prospect of a Palestinian state living alongside Israel.

Now that's nowhere near saying this is anywhere close to some kind of peace deal, but certainly some progress being made to try to stop the bloodshed and a common commitment to do that. That seems to be the utmost that the Americans are hoping for out of this mission of Colin Powell, which is now getting to its very critical stage -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Thank you very much. Jerrold Kessel reporting live from Jerusalem this morning.

Also in the Middle East, Israel announced over the weekend that it was reopening Ramallah. But our Nic Robertson, assigned to replace another CNN correspondent there, tells us that getting to Ramallah is no simple task.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Driving along busy Jerusalem streets, there was little indication of the problems I was about to run into. Hours after Secretary of State Colin Powell left Ramallah, following his meeting with Yasser Arafat, I was on my way into the town to replace my colleague, Michael Holmes.

(on camera): Well we're standing at the outskirts of Jerusalem now. The traffic, thinning out quite considerably as we're headed out towards this checkpoint. Now the checkpoint should be open. The Israelis have said they're opening these closed military areas -- we're just about to find out.

(voice-over): Indeed, at the first checkpoint, no problems. I asked driver Samir (ph) if he was worried.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not yet, because it's not dark. But when it starts to be dark, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) dangerous.

ROBERTSON: It was just after 4:00 PM. We had about three hours of daylight left for a journey that without checkpoints would take about 40 minutes. When we reached the next checkpoint, however, soldiers told us it was closed.

(on camera): Closed because of an ongoing military operation. We left, but we've now been called by the Israeli defense force. They tell us their checkpoint is now open and we're going to go back and try again to get into Ramallah.

(voice-over): Arriving back at the checkpoint around 6:00 PM, evening patrols were leaving. If we weren't allowed to pass now, it would soon be too late. An hour later, and still no permission.

(on camera): The Israeli defense spokesman tells us that there's a document that we can sign, and if we sign that document, then that will allow us to go into Ramallah. It's too late to go in tonight; it's almost nightfall now. So we're going to come back tomorrow morning and try and get in again and see what happens then.

(voice-over): Day two, and loading up again. This time, we were going to try a different checkpoint. Mustaffah (ph) is my driver now. Samir (ph) is working elsewhere. I ask him how he rates our chances of success. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We hope so, you know, to be opened the checkpoint now, you know. Because now I speak with some drivers there and they (UNINTELLIGIBLE) me (UNINTELLIGIBLE) is closed now.

ROBERTSON: When we get there, crowds are gathered around a busload of Palestinian prisoners being returned to Ramallah -- and refused entry again.

(on camera): Well we're now on a 20-minute drive to another checkpoint on the edge of Ramallah. The Israeli defense force tell us if we want to get in, this is the checkpoint to use.

(voice-over): We find a handful of journalists, hoping they, too, will be allowed through. The response I get from the soldiers manning the checkpoint is now all too familiar.

(on camera): Well we're turning around again. We've been told at this checkpoing that there's no permission. But we're leaving, because we believe we've found a route. We've been told of a route that avoids all the checkpoints.

(voice-over): A route that until a short time before had been closed, according to another driver. However, the CNN team in Ramallah had heard it was open. And when we get there, they are ready and waiting with the CNN Land Rover. A quick change of luggage and a brief handover with the man I am replacing, and we're on our way.

(on camera): Well I'm finally in Ramallah. It's taken me just over 20 hours to get in here. And we finally came in through a checkpoint that essentially wasn't even a checkpoint. We just drove up an open road and into the town.

(voice-over): Back at the checkpoint, and for all but a handful of others, Ramallah still appears to be a very hard place to get into.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Ramallah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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