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CNN Live Today
Crisis in the Middle East
Aired September 12, 2003 - 11:08 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Israel is standing by its insistence that Arafat be removed, despite opposition from the U.S., and Palestinians are standing by Arafat.
Our Matthew Chance joins us by videophone from Ramallah with the latest from there.
Matthew, hello.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, thank you.
The threat by Israel to remove Yasser Arafat from the occupied Palestinian territory is provoking real anger on the Palestinian streets. As many Palestinians wonder exactly what it is that the government of Israel has in mind for a leader who many people regard as their most potent national symbol here. Thousands turned out to his compound in the hour or so after the announcement was made after an Israeli cabinet meeting on Thursday night to voice their support to shout slogans to support Yasser Arafat saying that it would be absolute chaos, and they're concerned about this, absolute chaos if Israel were to act in any way to try and expel or to harm in any way the Palestinian president. There have already been appeals for restraint. Kofi Annan, the secretary-general of the United Nations, saying that it would be unwise to expel Yasser Arafat at this stage.
Even the Bush administration has expressed its concern saying the time is now not right. Indeed, Nabel Shat (ph), the Palestinian foreign minister saying just a few moments ago that he's come off the telephone with Secretary of State Colin Powell, and Mr. Powell has told him, according to Nabel Shat, that he is urging the Israeli government not to carry through with its threat to expel Yasser Arafat -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Matthew Chance, we will track events from there and from Israel. Thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 12, 2003 - 11:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Israel is standing by its insistence that Arafat be removed, despite opposition from the U.S., and Palestinians are standing by Arafat.
Our Matthew Chance joins us by videophone from Ramallah with the latest from there.
Matthew, hello.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, thank you.
The threat by Israel to remove Yasser Arafat from the occupied Palestinian territory is provoking real anger on the Palestinian streets. As many Palestinians wonder exactly what it is that the government of Israel has in mind for a leader who many people regard as their most potent national symbol here. Thousands turned out to his compound in the hour or so after the announcement was made after an Israeli cabinet meeting on Thursday night to voice their support to shout slogans to support Yasser Arafat saying that it would be absolute chaos, and they're concerned about this, absolute chaos if Israel were to act in any way to try and expel or to harm in any way the Palestinian president. There have already been appeals for restraint. Kofi Annan, the secretary-general of the United Nations, saying that it would be unwise to expel Yasser Arafat at this stage.
Even the Bush administration has expressed its concern saying the time is now not right. Indeed, Nabel Shat (ph), the Palestinian foreign minister saying just a few moments ago that he's come off the telephone with Secretary of State Colin Powell, and Mr. Powell has told him, according to Nabel Shat, that he is urging the Israeli government not to carry through with its threat to expel Yasser Arafat -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Matthew Chance, we will track events from there and from Israel. Thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
