Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

123 People Inside Church of Nativity Hope to Get Out Today

Aired May 06, 2002 - 06:01   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get the latest on those talks to end the Church of the Nativity standoff. We go again to CNN's Walter Rodgers in Bethlehem -- good morning, Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Those 123 people inside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the traditional site of Jesus' birth, saying they hope, they pray and they expect that they will be able to get out of that church today. They are in their fifth there, but an Israeli source told me, don't be so sure at this point.

For one thing, the Israelis point out, Yasser Arafat has to sign off on any agreement, and currently we do not have an agreement so much as the outline of an agreement. That's why the Israelis are saying it may be as late as tomorrow before there is any release of the people from within the church.

The devil is always in the details in a situation like this, and the sticking point here, the major sticking point in all of this appears to be the Israeli demand that 13 of the men inside the church, Palestinian militants according to the Israelis, have to be deported to a European country. We presume that's Italy.

Again, the Israelis are saying 13; the Palestinians are saying no more than six or seven. And the source told me just a few minutes ago Yasser Arafat is adamant about this. He says no more than six will face the exile.

The rest of the Palestinians wanted by Israel in the church, some 30 or so, they will go to Gaza, where they may indeed face a trial down there. The others inside the church, 85 people, are free to go just as soon as the doors open. Israel has no problem with them at all.

I spoke to a source in the church a short while ago. I asked them if the people who will be going into exile know who they are. They say they have a pretty idea, but they are not at all certain yet. So we know more outside the church than they know inside the church at this point.

Another question I asked a Palestinian inside the church, are they ready to lay down their guns? They say only when Yasser Arafat says it's OK. So this standoff continues. I believe this is the 37th day, and if you have any doubts about an agreement not having been signed or implemented at this point, you have only to look down the street, you see an Israeli jeep, an Israeli murk of a tank in Manger Square. Israeli soldiers continue to patrol around the church.

There is no agreement at this point. There is only the outline of an agreement, and as I say, it could happen today. The Israelis are suggesting it could be tomorrow -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Well, you know, Walter? Ariel Sharon is in Washington today. Is anything likely to happen while he remains in the United States?

RODGERS: Well, it's very interesting to see how Yasser Arafat, the master maestro of this sort of event, manipulates the events at this point. For example, he may try to upstage the Israeli prime minister when the Israeli prime minister is in Washington and schedule the release for tomorrow, when Ariel Sharon is meeting President Bush. Or, and this is just speculation, Mr. Arafat might decide to delay the release of the people inside the church even further to, perhaps, embarrass Ariel Sharon. He is certainly not above that -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Got you. Thank you, Walter Rodger, CNN's senior international correspondent reporting live for us from Bethlehem this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.