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CNN Live At Daybreak

Israel Allows One Delegate to Meet with Arafat

Aired April 26, 2002 - 05:32   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: In the Middle East today, Israeli forces entered more West Bank communities, and most the young people who walked out of that besieged Church of the Nativity yesterday are expected to go home today.

CNN's John Vause joins us from Bethlehem live with more.

Good morning, John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

We've got a few things to talk about today, but let's talk about the negotiations here in Bethlehem.

They seem to have gone on hold while the Palestinians get this opportunity to meet with the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. That is, in fact, one of their demands.

And CNN has learned from a source close to these negotiations that the Israelis have, in fact, given permission for at least one delegate to go to Ramallah to meet with Yasser Arafat. That's due to happen in a couple of hours from now.

As for those nine young Palestinians who walked from the church, we're told that eight of those are now home with their families.

But one is still being held by the IDF. He's 19 years old, and, according to the Israeli military, they say there may be possible link between him and the Palestinian government inside that church.

Now they will hold him for a couple of days, they say, and then they'll either charge him or they will release him.

Now one of the teenagers who did walk from the church has said that everybody inside that church is, in fact, free to leave, but he also said that the gunmen inside are determined not to accept any Israeli offer which involves deportation or exile to a third country.

And as you mentioned a short time ago, the Israeli army moved into Qalqilya, which is a West Bank town, as well as three villages. Now witnesses there counted as many as 15 Israeli tanks and APCs moving into those communities in pre-dawn raids, and at least 13 Palestinians were arrested. There's also been some movement on the diplomatic front concerning that U.N. fact-finding team to the Jenin refugee camp. Israel has asked for a number of concessions and got them. What they have asked for is two extra military advisers on that fact-finding team.

Now those military advisers will look specifically at the issue of terrorism. The Israelis have said that Jenin was, in fact, the suicide bomb-making capital of the world.

Now the Israelis also want that U.N. mission to be limited just to Jenin, and they're also asking for any report simply to be a statement of fact with no conclusion. And they're also asking for immunity for any Israelis who give evidence, who testify through that U.N. fact-finding team.

Still, this U.N. fact-finding team will be in this region as planned, due to arrive here over the weekend.

Carol.

COSTELLO: John, going back to this 9-year-old who escaped from the Church of the Nativity, he was connected to a suicide bomber, you said?

VAUSE: No. A 19-year-old, Carol. We had a number of teenagers aged between 14 and 20. So he was a 19-year-old, and so -- maybe I didn't announce that correctly, but, yeah, a 19-year-old.

So he's still being held. The Israelis say he will be there for a couple of days while they question him, and if they satisfy he's got nothing to do with it, he'll be let go and is not going to be charged.

COSTELLO: All right. Thank you, John Vause, reporting live from Bethlehem this morning.

It's a well-worn adage, but it certainly applies here. The Middle East has put the White House in the position of being between a rock and a hard place.

CNN Political Analyst Bill Schneider looks at the pressure on the president.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: The United States is juggling two conflicts, the U.S. versus world terrorism and Israel versus the Palestinians. Is one conflict at cross purposes with the other?

(voice-over): Pro-Palestinian protesters demand to know how can the U.S. support Israel and at the same time except Arabs to cooperate in the war on terrorism?

Pro-Israeli protesters demand to know how can the U.S. meet with Yasser Arafat and pressure Israel not to pursue its campaign against terrorists?

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The question many in my country are now asking is this: Will America apply its principles consistently and win this terror, or will it selectively abandon these principles and, thereby, ultimately risk losing the war?

SCHNEIDER: The Bush administration seems to be caught in a bind. What can it do? Some believe the U.S. is sending dual signals, publicly demanding Israeli restraint while privately reassuring Israel "The U.S. will not abandon you." Hasn't the U.S. toned down its insistence on an Israeli withdrawal, quote, "without delay."

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: History will show that they've responded.

SCHNEIDER: Meanwhile, the administration is publicly reassuring the Arabs, "We are doing what we can."

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We have succeed in putting together a U.N. resolution two weeks ago that calls for the creation of a Palestinian state and a cease-fire. We had succeeded through our efforts with Prime Minister Sharon to encourage him to set aside his requirement for seven days of quiet.

SCHNEIDER: Not enough, say Arab leaders. Not if you want to win your war on terrorism.

KING ABDULLAH, JORDAN: We need a persistent stronger voice from the Americans to make sure that the pullout is done immediately, as we said. The longer that you go on, the more Palestinians that are killed or wounded or beaten up, the more you're going to build a new generation of hatred and of violence and extremism.

SCHNEIDER: President Bush's answer? In the short run, cool.

BUSH: We will continue to remind folks they have responsibilities in the short run to defuse the current crisis.

SCHNEIDER: In the long run, you'll get what you want.

BUSH: All parties must realize that the only vision for a long- term solution is for two states, Israel, Palestine, to live side by side in security and in peace.

SCHNEIDER (on camera): Back during the Persian Gulf War, when Iraq attacked Israel with scud missiles, the U.S. knew Israeli retaliation would destroy the anti-Iraq coalition. The U.S. placated the Israelis with Patriot missiles and loan guarantees. Then, like now, the U.S. needed Israeli restraint.

Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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