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CNN Live At Daybreak

Residents of Ramallah Try to Find Normal Life

Aired April 22, 2002 - 06:03   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Turning our attention now to the Middle East. Assistant U.S. Secretary of State William Burns went to Yasser Arafat's compound today hoping to get the Palestinian leader's help in breaking the standoff at that Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, but with Israeli troops keeping Arafat's aides from attending. It was uncertain what could be done about the church stalemate between Israeli troops and Palestinians.

As the crisis continues to simmer, CNN's Nic Robertson looks at how Ramallah is returning to normalcy and how it's not.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Unlocking the door to his clothing store, Barheed (ph) becomes one of the first Ramallah residents to take advantage of the Israeli troop withdrawal.

BARHEED: Before I came into my shop here, I looked around about the city. There are no Israeli soldiers.

ROBERTSON: In the early morning misty gloom, Palestinian youths celebrate, their walk down this street foolhardy at best just a few hours before. At the money changes, no time wasted in cleaning up. According to Ryan (ph), the owner, his business was on the front line.

(on camera): What happened here?

RYAN: There was shooting with the Palestinians and the Israelis.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): As word spread it was safe to come out, the streets quickly filled. For some, their first impressions of what they saw, shocking.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where can we get the money to fix all these things? We are devastated.

ROBERTSON (on camera): Until a few hours ago, there was an Israeli military checkpoint here. Now, all that remains is the barbed wire and some destruction littering the ground. This is the central square in the middle of Ramallah, and it is just down this road here, perhaps about a mile away, that is the compound of Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, and it is there that the main Israeli military presence still exists. (voice-over): Barricades block the road that once navigated, there appears little military presence. However, residents this close to the compound report being told to remain indoors.

Behind the partially demolished compound walls, tanks guard the entrances to the building that contains not only the Palestinian leader, but men the Israeli government says it wants to try in connection with the murder of an Israeli minister last year. The Israeli government says until Yasser Arafat hands the men over, their blockade on his compound will continue.

Late in the day, a group of pro-Palestinian activists try to gain access to Arafat's compound. Their effort to break through security to join fellow activists inside, thwarted by Israelis soldiers. In an indication of the tight security at the compound, only six activists got through. The others chased off by stun grenades and warning shots.

Back downtown, no shortage of enthusiasm for the cleanup; however, even when a level of normality returned inside the town, restrictions imposed by the Israeli government to protect Israeli citizens from suicide bombers will prevent most from leaving.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Ramallah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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