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CNN Live Today
Standoff Continues at Church of Nativity
Aired April 22, 2002 - 12:11 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: The standoff, like the rest of the Middle East conflict, is complicated by a number of touchy factors.
CNN's John Vause is covering the stalemate.
He joins us now from Bethlehem -- John.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.
Yes, well, the negotiations are one thing, but right now, the church behind me, the Church of the Nativity, about 500 yards behind me, there has been a bit of activity there in the last couple of minutes. We first saw quite a good deal of smoke rising out from what we think is Manger Square. We have also heard a number of loud explosions as well as some gunshots.
You may not be able to see it on camera, but there is, in fact, quite a bit of smoke from behind the church. We have heard about three, maybe four, stun grenades going off in just the last couple of minutes. We have also heard the sound of gunshots, which we have been hearing for about the last hour or so, but not from the direction of the church -- more from our location in the southeast of Manger Square.
But now we can hear gunshots in the vicinity of the Church of the Nativity. We can also hear on the streets the sound of tanks or possibly armored personnel carriers, or possibly both; they have been patrolling the streets of Bethlehem all day long, over the last three weeks really, keeping this city under siege, pretty much.
There is a stun grenades just then. We should hear it. There is another one. And a third one again. That is a gunshot you are hearing. Other explosions.
They are stun grenades which are going off right now. That is the fifth one in succession there.
PHILLIPS: John, do you know how close they are to the church?
VAUSE: That is right inside Manger Square, from what we can tell here, Kyra. It is right in the vicinity of the church. This has been fairly common about this time of day. Just as the sun sets, the activity in the church begins. And if the pattern of previous days, especially last Friday, is anything to go by, this will continue for quite some time.
PHILLIPS: Tell me why this is happening. Is it because there is activity coming in and out of the church -- people trying to leave the church, people trying to get in the church.
VAUSE: We don't know, Kyra. What you can hear is the gunfire, a number of different arms which are being used. You can see quite a bit of smoke coming up. The stun grenades, from what we can tell, are being used, basically, as part of psychological warfare. We also know that occasionally there are shots that come back from the church. The Palestinians inside are armed with AK-47s. We have not heard them yet, I don't think. We're not too sure if we can hear any AK-47 shots.
This is basically what the Israelis have been doing at the church around this time most nights. The stun grenades are basically all part of that psychological warfare, all designed to wear down the people inside of the church, to make them surrender, to make them put down their guns and walk out -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: John, it has been a long time since I have been there, but I remember this church being in very tight quarters. How close have you been able to get to that area? Is it a situation where the Israelis have just 24/7 been surrounding the church?
VAUSE: Absolutely, Kyra. If you know Bethlehem, you know that it's a city of very narrow streets, a lot of alleyways. We have tried our best to get as close to that church as we possible could, but the Israeli troops have got it sealed up like a drum. As soon as you get within, say, 30 or 40 yards of the church, you are shooed away. There is barbed wire around the church as well and a lot of tanks and armored personnel carriers on the streets going towards the church.
If you know anything about the Church of the Nativity, it is actually very fortress like. And it is built like a fortress; it has been designed that way.
What we understand: 9 mm weapons; we believe that's small arms fire. Possibly 9 mm weapons that you are hearing there -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: John, I know you will continue to monitor this; so will we. That is our John Vause covering the stalemate at the Church of the Nativity, in Bethlehem. Thank you, John.
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