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CNN Live Today

Arafat Wants to Meet With Prince Abdullah

Aired May 02, 2002 - 10:51   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: Well, as we keep our eye on activities in Bethlehem this morning, we want to keep you posted on what we saw here -- or heard here earlier this morning.

Our Walter Rogers, our chief international correspondent -- senior international correspondent, rather, was out there reporting from Manger Square, and we heard a lot of activity behind him, and we couldn't tell exactly what the ruckus was all about. Well, it turns out there there were some protesters who trying to rush their way into Manger Square to the area around the Church of the Nativity which is where that standoff is still underway right now.

These, you are seeing right now are Israeli Defense Forces who actually had to come out and scramble once those protesters did come out. We don't know whether or not these troops fired any of these rubber-coated bullets they have been using on these protesters. Don't know about that in this case. However, they have not left, and we don't know exactly what that means, so we're keeping our eye on that, and we will have more on that for you next hour.

But for now, let's go to Daryn.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, let's keep it on the Mideast, and get some perspective on where it goes from here. And, who else to provide all that great perspective than our own senior political analyst Bill Schneider joining us from Washington. Bill, good morning.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: Let's look forward, starting with Yasser Arafat. In some ways, I think the easy part for him was being cooped up in Ramallah. Now the real test begins.

SCHNEIDER: That's right. Now they are talking about restarting the peace process. The first person he wants to talk to is Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia because the United States and Saudi Arabia are sort of playing the role of the daddies here. Sharon and Arafat are fighting with each other, they can't make a deal, so the United States and Saudi Arabia are stepping in to try to straighten this out, and sponsor some sort of international peace process, and Arafat has got to talk to Saudi Arabia, who are playing the role both of his protectors and of the people who are goading him into making some sort of -- at least entering into some sort of negotiations with Israel.

KAGAN: Yes, but Arafat needs to step up in terms of speaking out more against violence and he also needs to start producing for his people. Been very easy to focus on a leader who has been a martyr and holed up in Ramallah, but these -- this is a people in crisis.

SCHNEIDER: They are in crisis. But remember, Arafat has unusually high standing right now. There have been lots of times in the past when people warned you that his leadership was tired, that he was too old, if someone else needed to take over. But I think the results of this experience is that his stature is greatly enhanced, both among Palestinians in the Arab world, in Europe, and now the question is -- is he going to step forward and lead them into peace process and also show his willingness to take on some of the terrorists and extremists in their midst, or is he going to essentially give up the next chance for peace.

KAGAN: And then eyes will be on Washington next week when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon comes to meet with President Bush.

SCHNEIDER: Yes indeed. He, of course, is the other partner in this. He is going to will present some sort of peace plan which the Israelis want, but it is going to include a rather strict buffer zone between the Palestinian areas and the Israel areas. He is going to present it to the United States, his sponsors, just like Saudi Arabia, or the sponsors of the Palestinians, each side is making known its positions, and, of course, President Bush is talking to the Europeans now about starting some sort of international conference.

KAGAN: Bill Schneider in Washington. Thank you very much. We will be watching it, and hopefully with your insights right along with us.

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