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CNN Live Today
Arafat May Walk Free
Aired April 30, 2002 - 14:01 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get back to the Middle East right now and talk more about the situation in Ramallah. The Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat still holed up inside, surrounded by tanks and troops. We continue to watch that to see if there's any give, not only in the six that Israel wants transferred to a jail, but also whether or not Yasser Arafat will have freedom of movement at some time soon.
Matthew Chance back with us again in Ramallah with more. Matthew, good evening.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, we're watching this closely as well. A lot of anticipation here in Ramallah about the possibility that tonight is the night Yasser Arafat will be able to essentially walk free, at least into relative freedom, in the areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, under Palestinian control.
Security talks for a second day have been continuing here in the West Bank, focusing this day on Jericho, the West Bank town, where there is a Palestinian prison facility that's being eyed as the facility where these six wanted Palestinian, currently holed up inside Yasser Arafat's compound alongside the Palestinian leader, will be transferred under the jurisdiction of the U.S. and British team of security experts, or monitors, or guards, or whatever title they're going to be given once they take responsibility.
Israel, of course, its paramount concern is the six Palestinians who have already been convicted, at least four of them have already been convicted, of killing Israel's tourism minister last October. Concern that these people will not be allowed to walk free once Israel gives the order to its troops to stand down from the siege around Yasser Arafat's compound.
For their part, Palestinians also have a great deal of concerns about the security and the safety of those prisoners. It says officials of the Palestinian Authority say they're looking for a written letter of guarantee from the U.S. and British team that they'll be able to protect these prisoners from Israeli attacks, and they certainly won't be transferred into the jurisdiction, or the custody, of the Israeli authorities.
Much now depends, Bill, on the next round, the next series of meetings, to take place in a little under an hour from now here in Ramallah, between those security experts from Britain and the U.S. and Palestinian officials, to try and work out a formula whereby those tanks can leave the compound, and Yasser Arafat can come out here. Back to you.
HEMMER: All right, Matthew, thanks. Matthew Chance in Ramallah.
Another standoff and more negotiations still, this one at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity. Talks there aimed at ending the crisis continue. Mike Hanna filed this report a while ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ongoing negotiations showing signs of progress and more than 20 Palestinians emerged from the Church of the Nativity compounding the course of the afternoon. Among them were some Palestinian police officers, some Palestinian youths and some other Palestinian civilians. They had all been holed up in that compound since the beginning of the month, when Israel moved into Bethlehem, in terms of its massive military operation.
Within the church, still some 120 people. And negotiations continuing, to find a way to end this ongoing crisis peacefully. Among those 120, or estimated 120 still in the church, Israel says are at least 20 people it describes as wanted terrorists -- people who it says it needs to put in a court of law. People who it says carried out acts of terror against Israeli civilians.
The ongoing negotiations have been centering around this group of militants, as they are described by Israel. And Israel has said that they must be tried in an Israeli court or sent into exile away from the region. The Palestinians are adamant that these men, in particular, identified by Israel as wanted militants, should be moved to the Gaza Strip for possible trial by the Palestinian Authority.
So that part of negotiation is ongoing. But meanwhile other negotiations, to release others within the Church of the Nativity, are successful. The success seen this afternoon when more than 20 came out of that church. So the negotiations continue, but so too does the standoff. Mike Hanna, CNN, Bethlehem.
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