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CNN Live Today

Nine Palestinian Children Leave Bethlehem Church

Aired April 25, 2002 - 11:00   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: But up first this hour on CNN, the crisis in the Middle East and new developments in a three-week-old standoff in Bethlehem. Several Palestinian children caught in this -- middle of this stalemate have been released from the Church of the Nativity.

CNN's John Vause is following that and other developments for us. Let's check in with him. He joins us now live from Bethlehem.

Hello, John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hi, Leon.

I want to give you some information that we have now about these children, these youngsters, as the IDF calls them, who walked from the Church of the Nativity a few hours ago now. We're told that eight of them are aged between 14 and 16. The ninth one who came out is age 20. We're now told by the IDF that they've been taken away for a physical examination. They're in pretty good shape given what they've been through over the last couple of weeks. We're also being told that they are being bathed right now.

Now this is the largest group to emerge from the Church of the Nativity. It was part of an agreement reached here last night between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to release as many as 15 children from that church. So we've had nine come out. We're still waiting for some more, but according to the Israeli army, there could be as many as 50 children still inside that church. So another 35 children still inside that church.

Now the Israeli and the Palestinian negotiators are still meeting here. They're sitting down for their third day of talks. There's been a number of issues which they have -- a number of progress on a number of issues, rather. Notably, they removed two bodies from the church earlier today as well. In fact, the children, we're told, carried the bodies out on stretchers. They then left them in the middle of the Manger Square where they were picked up by Palestinian ambulance and then taken away.

There is an air of optimism still in these meetings as they progress here. It's told that both sides are making progress towards ending this siege, which has been going on for three weeks now.

The Israelis are now putting forward a list of names, as few as six men possibly, who they say they want now to be tried in Israel or sent into exile into a third country. That's down significantly from the 30 that they were -- that they've been talking about for the last couple of weeks. The Palestinians are looking at that. We're told that they have tried to discuss this with the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat because they don't want to make any decision without his input. So we're now waiting to find out exactly where both parties are standing, but they have been meeting now for a couple of hours -- Leon.

HARRIS: John, I'm curious about the children that -- who did leave that church. Have they talked at all about what's going on inside that church? Are they -- have they said anything about whether or not they've been held all this time there against their will and if the others inside are also being held against their will or anything like that?

VAUSE: No, no statements yet. These kids have been taken away, basically, by the Israelis and they've been undergoing this physical examination to see -- to check out their -- the condition that they're in, basically. And this gets down to this debate, are the people inside that church being held hostage or are they staying there as a sign of solidarity? The Israelis say they're being held hostage. The Palestinians say well no, everybody can leave at any time, it's just a show of support. Nothing yet from these kids, though, but as soon as we get something, we'll let you know.

HARRIS: Boy, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You have to feel for those children.

John Vause in Bethlehem, we thank you very much. We'll check back with you later on.

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