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CNN Live Today

Gunfire In and Around Manger Square

Aired April 16, 2002 - 13:03   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well one thing is clear, we're going to move into the 1:00 hour with our Bill Hemmer in Jerusalem. He does have more on the Middle East situation beginning with this shooting in Bethlehem just outside the Church of the Nativity.

Hello, Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Kyra, hello again.

Let's get right to it in Bethlehem. The IDS, the Israeli Defense Force, reporting just within the past several minutes now that Church of the Nativity, that standoff does continue. Getting reports right now, Kyra, of gunfire in the area. To quote the IDF, they're saying "gunfire outside the church" there and that the shooting they say was coming from a number of different sources.

The IDF has been conducting its own operations in and around that area for sometime now, more than two weeks. In fact, last reports and indications we had about 1,000 Israeli troops are in and around Manger Square with about 200 Palestinian gunmen still inside that church. The shooting itself is not that much of a surprise. On and off for the past, oh, 16 days or so we've reported shooting at various times of the day and various times of the night coming in and around that church area.

Israel, over the weekend, made an offer to a number of people holed up inside. They say they can surrender and be arrested by Israeli police or they can go into permanent exile. Palestinian side dismissed that quickly out of hand. They said that was essentially a nonstarter so the standoff itself does continue.

And we'll continue to track the latest from Bethlehem, Kyra, as we get it here. Again, shooting a short time ago in Manger Square in and around the area of the Church of the Nativity but not specifically originating from inside the church.

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