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CNN Live At Daybreak

Israeli Forces Surround Arafat's Compound

Aired September 20, 2002 - 05:29   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: More turmoil in the Middle East. Israeli forces have surrounded Yasser Arafat's compound in Ramallah. This comes one day after a suicide bomber killed five people in Tel Aviv.
Our Ben Wedeman is following all of this from Jerusalem and he joins us now live -- Ben. BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Carol, in fact, Israeli forces are inside and have been inside the compound of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat all through the night. They've been demolishing buildings. In fact, there's very little that is still standing there. We just heard from the CNN crew in Ramallah that the headquarters of Palestinian intelligence within Arafat's compound was demolished just a little while ago.

Now, throughout the night the Israelis have said that they are demanding the surrender of as many as 20 Palestinians they say are on their list of involved, for involvement, their wanted list for involvement in activities, terrorist activities against Israel.

Now, also on that list is the head of West Bank security, Tafiq Tarawi (ph).

Now, during the night as many as 20 Palestinians did, in fact, surrender from within that compound. However, according to Palestinian officials, many of them were, in fact, prisoners in the compound, accused by the Palestinians of collaborating with Israel. Although among that 20 or so Palestinians are some of the people that Israel has on their wanted list.

Now, Ramallah has been declared a closed military area. Israel says it will maintain its isolation of the Palestinian leader who is in the compound until further notice.

Now, according to reports from within that compound, one Palestinian, a member of Palestinian security was killed overnight by an Israeli sniper.

Now, in the Gaza Strip, there was also action around Gaza City in two neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city. Israeli forces entered. They demolished, according to the Israeli Defense Forces, seven buildings which contained 34 workshops they say were involved in the production or manufacture of weapons used against Israel.

Now these actions in Ramallah and Gaza follow yesterday's suicide bombing on a bus in Tel Aviv, which left five people dead and dozens more wounded. Followed shortly after that bombing, the Israeli cabinet met, the entire cabinet, in an emergency session, where they blamed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for the violence and said that they would continue to isolate him until further notice.

Now, a claim of responsibility has been received for the Tel Aviv bombing from the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades. That's the military wing of Hamas. They say this is the third successful operation, in their words, taken in revenge for the killing of the head of the military wing of Hamas, Salah Shehada, in Gaza last July -- back to you.

COSTELLO: Ben, this is sounding so familiar. Yasser Arafat is inside that compound and the Israelis are going to isolate him again. Does that mean he can't come out again?

WEDEMAN: Well, for the moment it certainly does appear that way and this has been basically, he was first isolated within the compound last December and basically he's been isolated on and off ever since. Just on a few occasions has he been allowed out.

Now, there is a debate going on within the Israeli government and Israeli society over what to do with the Palestinian leader. Some people would like to see him expelled. However, many Palestinian -- Israel leaders, including top intelligence officials, worry that to expel him would only inflame the situation and bolster his position at a time when many Palestinians are beginning to reexamine the benefit, the use of having him as their leader -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Got you.

Ben Wedeman reporting live for us from Jerusalem.

Thank you for the update 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



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Aired September 20, 2002 - 05:29   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: More turmoil in the Middle East. Israeli forces have surrounded Yasser Arafat's compound in Ramallah. This comes one day after a suicide bomber killed five people in Tel Aviv.
Our Ben Wedeman is following all of this from Jerusalem and he joins us now live -- Ben. BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Carol, in fact, Israeli forces are inside and have been inside the compound of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat all through the night. They've been demolishing buildings. In fact, there's very little that is still standing there. We just heard from the CNN crew in Ramallah that the headquarters of Palestinian intelligence within Arafat's compound was demolished just a little while ago.

Now, throughout the night the Israelis have said that they are demanding the surrender of as many as 20 Palestinians they say are on their list of involved, for involvement, their wanted list for involvement in activities, terrorist activities against Israel.

Now, also on that list is the head of West Bank security, Tafiq Tarawi (ph).

Now, during the night as many as 20 Palestinians did, in fact, surrender from within that compound. However, according to Palestinian officials, many of them were, in fact, prisoners in the compound, accused by the Palestinians of collaborating with Israel. Although among that 20 or so Palestinians are some of the people that Israel has on their wanted list.

Now, Ramallah has been declared a closed military area. Israel says it will maintain its isolation of the Palestinian leader who is in the compound until further notice.

Now, according to reports from within that compound, one Palestinian, a member of Palestinian security was killed overnight by an Israeli sniper.

Now, in the Gaza Strip, there was also action around Gaza City in two neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city. Israeli forces entered. They demolished, according to the Israeli Defense Forces, seven buildings which contained 34 workshops they say were involved in the production or manufacture of weapons used against Israel.

Now these actions in Ramallah and Gaza follow yesterday's suicide bombing on a bus in Tel Aviv, which left five people dead and dozens more wounded. Followed shortly after that bombing, the Israeli cabinet met, the entire cabinet, in an emergency session, where they blamed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for the violence and said that they would continue to isolate him until further notice.

Now, a claim of responsibility has been received for the Tel Aviv bombing from the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades. That's the military wing of Hamas. They say this is the third successful operation, in their words, taken in revenge for the killing of the head of the military wing of Hamas, Salah Shehada, in Gaza last July -- back to you.

COSTELLO: Ben, this is sounding so familiar. Yasser Arafat is inside that compound and the Israelis are going to isolate him again. Does that mean he can't come out again?

WEDEMAN: Well, for the moment it certainly does appear that way and this has been basically, he was first isolated within the compound last December and basically he's been isolated on and off ever since. Just on a few occasions has he been allowed out.

Now, there is a debate going on within the Israeli government and Israeli society over what to do with the Palestinian leader. Some people would like to see him expelled. However, many Palestinian -- Israel leaders, including top intelligence officials, worry that to expel him would only inflame the situation and bolster his position at a time when many Palestinians are beginning to reexamine the benefit, the use of having him as their leader -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Got you.

Ben Wedeman reporting live for us from Jerusalem.

Thank you for the update 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



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