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CNN Live Saturday

Mideast Violence Continues; Bush-Putin Meeting

Aired July 15, 2006 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta. You're looking at live pictures coning in from Lebanon's broadcasting company, there. Exclusive images from that network showing Lebanon there as the strikes continue back and forth between Hezbollah and Israel. Straight ahead this hour, new raids, new targets, the crisis in the Middle East heating up as events unfold throughout the region. We'll take you there live with coverage you can't get anywhere else. Plus this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am a desperate woman. A mother, a wife, who needs to know that these people are alive and safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Her husband and son are among thousands of Americans in Lebanon as the instability there intensifies. Ahead, anxious families dealing with the unknown. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. You're looking at live pictures of folks at our international desk, hard at work, keeping tabs of all the goings on there in the Middle East.

This is what we know right now, a rising death toll. An expanding strike zone, the Middle East crisis intensifying. The Israeli military confirms it has launched air attacks on Lebanon's side of the Syrian-Lebanese border. It says the strikes targeted mainly bridges and access routes. More Israeli attacks today in Beirut and in northern and southern Lebanon as well. Lebanese security forces say one air strike hit a mini bus carrying 20 civilian, killing at least 15. And Israel says it has found the body of at least one sailor. Three other sailors are missing after a Hezbollah attack on an Israeli warship, say sources.

CNN has reporters positioned all around the region, to bring you every angle of this developing crisis. Israel is keeping up its air strikes in Beirut, while expanding the conflict deeper into Lebanon. Hours ago, Israeli warplanes attacked a crossing at the Syrian border. Our Alessio Vinci is in Beirut.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, go ahead.

WHITFIELD: Alessio what is the latest there?

VINCI: Sorry, Frederick I was trying to get the very latest here from producers on the ground as well. We understand that within the last few moments, three new target areas have been -- the strikes on three new targets around here in Beirut and in the north. First of all here in Beirut, we understand that the port has been hit, that's for the first time. And we unconfirmed report at this time the light house and the popular promenade has been taken down by an Israeli strike.

Also, further north, about 10 miles to the north from here, the port of Junia. We understand there, as well, there has been heavy shelling from the side of the Israelis. And then a bit more further north, another port, the port of Amshi (ph), that's another port city. It does look like Israelis are, this time, concentrating their strikes on several coastal regions.

And I understand also that Israeli helicopter gunship have also targeted the town of -- port city of Tripoli. So, it does appear that, at least for the time being, the Israeli forces are concentrating their attacks on the coast of Lebanon. They've been targeting the country and the city throughout this day, many times concentrating their --- the brunt of their attacks on the southern portions of Beirut. That of course is where the Hezbollah headquarters are located. That is where the population -- mainly Shiite Muslim population lives. Now we understand that they have slightly redirected their attacks, taking out targets along the coast of Lebanon, closer to the capital, Beirut, of course.

Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: Now, Alessio, there was something like 25,000 Americans that are in Lebanon, many of them who are stuck there as a result of this conflict. The U.S. embassy has been reporting all morning -- or at least we've been reporting, the U.S. embassy, all morning, has been reviewing plans to get these Americans out. What's the latest on that?

VINCI: Well basically, the U.S. embassy is working together with the Pentagon, as well as the U.S. State Department in trying to figure out what is the best plan to repatriate some of those 25,000 Americans who want to leave from here.

Obviously there are no reliable ways out from here. The airport is closed, the seaport is also closed. As you see there is a blockade and it is extremely dangerous even to get -- to go anywhere near there. And of course, the main road between here and Syria has also been targeted and shelled several times by the Israeli forces. So there are no really reliable ways to get out of here. So, the U.S. embassy is working out on a plan of what to do. And one of the plans being worked out is the possibility of creating an air bridge between Beirut and Cyprus. That is a very short flight, it's about 20, 25 minutes to fly from Beirut to Cyprus. The problem is there is no airport that can be used now. So, obviously if that air bridge has to be worked out it has to be worked out in coordination with the Israelis that would allow, at least temporarily, opening the airfield, perhaps patching up one of the runways that had been destroyed, allowing those Americans and all the other nationals who want to leave, to go away before, obviously, possibly bombing it again, as they did last time when the airport was reopened briefly to allow five Lebanese air -- Lebanese planes to take off for Jordan -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Alessio Vinci, thanks so much for that update from Beirut.

And if you are trying to find out about relatives visiting or living in Lebanon, you can contact the State Department hotline at these numbers on the screen. For those of you who are overseas, call 0-1-202-501-4444. If you're inside the U.S., call 1-888-407-4747. U.S. citizens can register with the State Department online. And details about possible evacuation plans can be found at the State Department's website, travel.state.gov. Look under "Travel Warnings" on the left-hand side of your screen and follow the instructions from there.

Hezbollah's rockets are raining down on northern Israel. Israeli defense officials say more than a dozen rockets have been struck, many of them landing in the border town of Nahariya. Our Paula Hancocks is there with the very latest.

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PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Rockets are continuing to fall on northern Israeli towns this Saturday. Here in Nahariya, there have been many katyusha landing. At this point there have been no casualties, which is amazing. Just in the past few minutes there were at least four that we heard exploding around this area, all coming from this direction. This is north, about six miles approximately in this direction is Lebanon. And this is where all these katyusha rockets are coming from.

But the reason there have been only four killed in the last three days in the whole of northern Israel area, many more injured, but the reason there's so few casualties is because there are so few people on streets. Many people are choosing to stay at home. Shops are not opening. The police suggested some of these shops do not open because of the danger of these rockets. And many people I've spoken to are very angry that they're being almost held prisoner in their homes but they're too scared to leave. Many people are starting to send young children and elderly relatives down to Tel-Aviv, further south in Israel. But we did hear from an Israeli military source suggesting that they thought Hezbollah had long-range missiles, which can go as far as 60 miles, obtained from Iran, and that could reach Tel-Aviv.

Paula Hancock, CNN, Northern Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So, how safe are Israel's major cities from Hezbollah's missiles? Our Paula Newton joins us now from Jerusalem.

Paula what are the worries there?

PAULA NEWTON, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well apparently -- there are several. First and foremost, though, the Israeli defense forces confirm to CNN that anti-aircraft missile batteries are now moving into Haifa. Now, Fredricka, Haifa is about 25 miles south of the Lebanese border. Of course, this is precautionary, but it shows that the Israeli government is trying to get Israelis themselves -- and, of course, their own army, navy, air force, prepared for what would look like a wider -- well, we won't call it a war, but a wider conflict.

You know, Fredricka, in technical terms this isn't a war yet. But people on the ground in Israel would beg to differ. Because right now, more than a million Israelis are really feeling this and it is affecting them intimately. And when they now understand that these anti-aircraft missile batteries are headed for Haifa, what is a large city, about a quarter of a million people, and has some several high- value assets, including chemical manufacturing, fuel depots, those kinds of things will be high-value targets. What they're looking at now, as Paula Hancocks referred to, is the capability of Hezbollah to actually reach Tel-Aviv, which has more than a million people and is Israel's commercial heart --Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And so tell me about the Israeli citizens. What are they doing to protect themselves as this firing is taking place overhead?

NEWTON: You know, I think people are being very cautious. We heard from Paula Hancocks who's in northern Israel, people feel like they're prisoners in their own homes. And essentially for right now, they are, because it's really not safe to be walking a street in those areas.

What's happening though, here in Israel, in the larger scheme of things, is that they've really psychologically are preparing for a much longer and a much wider conflict. You know, Fredricka, when we were talking about the Gaza conflict that started in late June, it really didn't affect Israelis' everyday life really at all. I mean, certainly, they were concerned about it, they had soldiers killed. They had one soldier who was still captured. But it didn't affect them this way and now everyone here is bracing themselves -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Paula Newton, thanks so much.

Well, the growing violence in the Middle East is overshadowing the G-8 Summit underway in Russia. President Bush and Russian president Putin don't exactly see eye to eye on who's at blame here. White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us live from St. Petersburg.

And Suzanne, Vladimir Putin taking some rather direct shot, letting the president know exactly where he stands on this issue.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, absolutely, Fred. We have seen the leaders of those powerful group of eight industrial nations arriving here in St. Petersburg, gathering over the last couple of hours. They're now attending a social dinner. But this gathering is very important because it comes amid growing concern of an all-out war erupting in the Middle East and, of course, these leaders trying to come together on some sort of unified response to that. That hope, somewhat dim today, when we heard from differing views from President Bush and Russian president, Vladimir Putin. The two emerged from a meeting in an 18th century palace complex. A press conference that they gave, both of them stressing calling for an end to the violence, but they staked out different views on Israel's continuing military strikes on Lebanon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The best way to stop the violence is to understand why the violence occurred in the first place. And that's because Hezbollah has been launching rocket attacks out of Lebanon into Israel and because Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers. That's why we have violence. The best way to stop the violence is for Hezbollah to lay down its arms, to stop attacking. And, therefore, I call upon Syria to exert influence over Hezbollah.

PRES. VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIA (through translator): It is absolutely unacceptable to try and reach this (INAUDIBLE) goal, including political goals, through the use of force, through abductions, through carrying out strikes against an independent state from the territory of another state. This is all true. And in its context, we consider Israel's concerns to be justified. At the same time, we work with the assumption that the use of force should be balanced and in any case bloodshed should stop as soon as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, Fred, while the G-8 leaders are expected to issue some sort of a joint statement condemning this violence, calling for an end to the violence, there are really, still, many differences among these leaders about how to handle this, who to point the blame, whether or not it is looking at Israel or Syria or Lebanon. So it's quite unclear whether or not that statement is reallying going to hold much weight or carry much clout.

Another difference between the leaders as well, President Bush pushing, again, for economic sanctions against Iran, if it does not abandon its nuclear program. President Bush making that point again today, but Putin responding to that, saying that -- he warned against harsh actions, saying "we will not participate in any crusades or holy alliances." So, clearly Fred, some differences between these two leaders. And, of course, the other G-8 leaders all meeting the next couple of days, to try to come up with some sort of unified response to that Middle East crisis.

WHITFIELD: Something tells me we're talking about a series of rather tense meetings through the weekend. Thanks so much -- during the G-8 Summit -- Suzanne Malveaux.

We've got much more on the crisis in the Middle East, including:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At the airport, the last thing I said to my husband is "keep our son safe. You know I'll be worrying, I always do every time you go."

(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: Up next, the story of one American family waiting to hear from loved ones in Lebanon.

And later, how all of this might in part, be affecting you. The conflict overseas hurting gas prices here at home. The best way to save money when filling up, ahead this hour. You are watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

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WHITFIELD: We want to get latest on the exchanges in this conflict in the Middle East. Let's check in with Anand Naidoo there at the International Desk -- Anan.

ANAND NAIDOO, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWS ANCHOR: Thanks, Fredricka. Yeah, the offensive, the Israeli offensive in Lebanon is continuing. You're look at live pictures from al-Arabia television. These are pictures of an Israeli attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut. The Israelis have attacked this particular area earlier on today, about an hour and a half ago. These attacks, continuing, on the southern suburb. Earlier, they targeted the headquarters of the spiritual leader of Hezbollah, as well as the office of the Hamas leader in Beirut.

These pictures, as I pointed out, coming to you from al-Arabia television. You can see their correspondent there reporting. There have also been strikes on the port areas of Lebanon, there's been a strike on the port area of Beirut as well as the part area of Tripoli. The Israelis hit infrastructure in both those areas. In Tripoli they hit a radar site. And in Beirut there were unconfirmed reports that they hit a lighthouse as well.

Now, some of the other developments earlier on today, Israel hit a border position on the Syrian Lebanese border. They hit the Lebanese side of that border, did not touch the Syrian side and they said that was to prevent the smuggling of weapons getting through into Lebanon, as well as danger -- or as well as to prevent the two abducted Israeli soldiers from being moved out of Lebanon into Syria.

Now, earlier on, we also reported that Hezbollah had hit an Israeli warship, which was off the Lebanese coast. The Israelis initially told us four sailors were missing, then they said they had recovered the body of one of those sailors and the latest we have is that ship has now moved back to the port of Haifa. There are two of those sailors that are dead and two are missing.

The Israelis have also adopted another tactic in their war, in their offensive in Lebanon and that is part of the war -- the propaganda war that is going on, the battle for hearts and minds. They've been dropping pamphlets in one of the southern cities in Lebanon, one of the strong holds of Hezbollah. And joining me to tell us more about that is our senior Arabic affairs editor Octavia Nasr.

Octavia, is this something new?

OCTAVIA NASR, CNN ARABIC AFFAIRS EDITOR: I'm sorry, I was watching the breaking news -- ask me the question again what is new?

NAIDOO: These pamphlets the Israelis...

NASR: Oh, that pamphlet, yes, that's right. Yeah, these are new pamphlets. They are from today. And I think we can show them because we have the video now. The interesting thing about these pamphlets, in comparison to the pamphlets that were thrown yesterday. Yesterday, they were calling people to leave. You know, basically to get to a safer area, to stay away from Hezbollah headquarters and centers. Today, look at this, you know, it's calling on people to stay away from Hezbollah in another sense, in a political sense, they're basically saying, do you think that the resistant, meaning Hezbollah, will protect you? No. It will protect the country? No. You should know that the country is going to become the victim of the resistance.

And basically here, what you're looking at here, in the face -- brother, and in the back, a snake. Very strong message, obviously telling people that -- and you can see, here, the leaflets being dropped from airplanes over southern Lebanon. The interesting thing is how people receiving this when we look at images from the different Arab networks, this one included here, this one is from New TV -- here's the leaflet again. People are showing it to the camera and them some of them are just staring at these flyers, basically, totally disregarding what they say. Here you go, people picking them up, looking at them and you're going to see they're going to walk to the camera and tear them apart. And if you listen to these people speaking, they're going to say that basically this is not a message that we are willing to embrace.

So they are new, but at the same time, it's not a new practice. Israel has dropped leaflets before to announce basically either for propaganda or to tell people to get out of harm's way.

NAIDOO: Now, that's what the Israelis are doing. You and your team have been monitoring something like nine Arabic language television stations, you are following this drama as it unfolds, minute by minute, second by second. But Hezbollah has its own television station, it has been broadcasting as well. They appear to be broadcasting less kind of hard news and they appear to be launching their own kind of propaganda campaign.

NASR: Absolutely. You watch the television station of Hezbollah is called al-Manar Television and basically we're going to take a quick look at some of the propaganda that they're airing. They are showing some -- some basically breaking news attacks, but look at this. This is the different areas in Israel that they plan to attack or they have attacked. Here, you're looking at their militants basically in training, you can see the propaganda sense in the video. These are their militants that were killed, basically portrayed as martyrs. And -- there they are, you know, basically, the martyrs, videos glorifying martyrdom. The militants, again, in a military parade. This is, really -- this gives you an idea what Hezbollah is. You see them, the way they train, the way they put this on video. Very much like a military, very much like an organized military, not so much as a militia. But basically this is the kind of stuff we're seeing on al-Manar TV, which is the Hezbollah television station.

NAIDOO: The purpose of all that is to galvanize their troops.

NASR: Right, and also, another thing that they're showing, which is not in this video now, but basically they're showing the television stations from Israel. They've taken images from IVA, channel 2 and basically showing them, to say Israelis are scared, they're afraid and being under attack...

WHITFIELD: OK, Octavia Nasr and Anand Naidoo, let me just interrupt you for just a moment. We're going to continue this conversation about how we're monitoring all these developments in the Middle East with the ongoing crisis. We're going to take a short break for now, though.

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WHITFIELD: The U.S. State Department is making plans to evacuate Americans who want to get out of harm's way in Lebanon. U.S. military officials say the most likely evacuation option appears to be a Lebanon-Cyprus air bridge, which is aircraft moving swiftly and ferrying people out in quick succession. Reporter Rebecca Cooper of CNN affiliate WJLA talked with a Virginia woman who was worried about loved ones in Lebanon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REBECCA COOPER, WJLA REPORTER (on camera): Tonight, family and friends in Manassas gather to comfort one another, as Susan Al-Zawahi (ph) remembers last time she saw her husband Mohammed and 13-year-old son Hessian alive, July 5 when they left to visit family in Beirut with other relatives from Virginia, including a 14-month-old baby.

SUSAN AL-ZAWAHI (ph), HUSBAND AND SON IN BEIRUT: At the airport, the last thing I said to my husband is keep our son safe. You know I'll be worrying. I always do every time you go.

COOPER: All that changed this week. Now this Virginia woman can't reach her son and husband. When she last spoke to them on Wednesday, they were with relatives, less than two miles from the airport in Beirut. The same airport that's being pounded daily, as Israeli rockets, mortar and gunfire hailed down from the air.

AL-ZAWAHI: I am a desperate woman. A mother, a wife who needs to know that these people are alive and safe.

COOPER: As the violence in Lebanon continues to worsen, Susan has contacted the State Department, members of congress and multiple embassies, all to no avail. She says what many Lebanese are now saying, that the country is under attack because the militant group Hezbollah has used Lebanon as a staging ground to attack Israel. Now she worries about her 13-year-old son's mental and physical well being.

AL-ZAWAHI: I love you. I pray that you're safe and I won't rest until I know that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And perhaps you are trying to find out information about relatives visiting or even living in Lebanon. You can contact the State Department hotline at these numbers open the screen. For those oversea, call 0-1-202-501-4444. If you're inside the U.S., call 1-888-407-4747. U.S. citizens can register with the State Department online. And details about possible evacuation plans can be found at the State Department's website travel.state.gov. Let's go back to Anand Naidoo for the latest developments on this crisis -- Anand.

NAIDOO: Fredricka, thanks a lot, we are hearing that the Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora well be holding a live news conference. That's going to be taking place in about 30 minutes from now, at 1:00 Eastern. We will be carrying that news conference live here at CNN. Join us at 1:00 Eastern for the news conference being held by the Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. That news conference will be held as the situation continues to escalate in Lebanon. There have been attacks, Israeli attacks in the south and north of the country today, as well as on the Lebanese-Syrian border, one the Lebanese side of the border. There have also been more Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel. More on this as we get it. Now back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Anand. We're going to take a short break for now. More of our continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.

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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Smoke rising over Beirut right now as the Middle East crisis intensifies. You're looking at these pictures just in to CNN. Here's what we know, pictures just out of the Lebanese capital show Israeli air strikes on several locations including strikes in central Beirut and several ports.

Earlier today, the Israeli military confirmed air strikes on Lebanon's side of the Syrian-Lebanese border. It said strikes mainly targeted bridges and access route. Reports out of Lebanon say Israel launched a strike on Hezbollah spiritual leader's office in Lebanon.

Syria's foreign minister is trying to find support from other Arab countries to send a strong message to Israel about it's attacks on Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories. CNN's Aneesh Raman is live in Yabouss, Syria, near the Syrian-Lebanese border. What's going on there, Aneesh?

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, good afternoon.

Just beyond me is the gateway between Syria and Lebanon. Beyond that is the main highway that has been hit but Syrian, other expatriate Arabs have made their way. There has been a steady flow of people, essentially fleeing Lebanon into Syria through this gateway. The majority we're told by officials here are Syrians. About 100,000 or so in the past few days.

Lesser amounts of other Arabs and Lebanese as well, who are coming in, fleeing the violence. We've spoken to some of them. They say the bombs are going off just near them. Syrians saying they don't want to die in Lebanon. They'd rather be at home. People have walked for hours from inside Lebanon through this border, carrying what little they can, leaving the rest behind, simply fleeing for their lives.

You can see a small group that's over here. Syria is, of course, linked with all of this. Syria is at the center of this crisis, given its relationship with Hezbollah. Earlier today the Syrian government officially made a press release essentially that said it supports the liberation movements within Lebanon. It did not mention the phrase Hezbollah, which is interesting. Syria is aware the world is mounting pressure on it to cut ties with Hezbollah or use its influence to end this crisis.

Syrian officials have said they're trying to do that and Hezbollah and Hamas are essentially independent operations. But here on the Syrian-Lebanese border is where the humanitarian aspect of this is playing out, as people flee into Syria escaping the violence in Lebanon.

Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: And so, Aneesh, clearly a lot of those people crossing the border into Syria were kind of ahead of many of those Lebanese roads and access routes that have already targeted. It just anyone allowed to cross over the border into Syria, if they want to get across?

RAMAN: At this point, a according to the officials we've spoken to, there are more relaxed rules, if you will, as people coming through. You mentioned that some of the routes have been hit by aircraft. The people that we're talking to, people that have driven, say that they found routes around that. It isn't preventing people from getting out of Lebanon, getting here into Syria. It is a very sort of constantly fluid atmosphere here. We've been here a couple hours and there hasn't been a moment where we haven't seen people come through this border. It's been the highest activity they've seen in recent times, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: A number of the people standing behind you, looking very calm, rather inquisitive about what you're doing, but in general, have people been very vocal about what they're feeling about what's taking place?

RAMAN: They have been. If you can see behind me, these people are just crossed. They're carrying what belongings they have. They're walking, as many of the people here have been. They just came in from Lebanon. And those who don't have the money. And the Syrians we're seeing coming in are poor Syrians who go to Lebanon to work and they have only this option, as they see the violence, to take these bags that they've got with them, and walk from inside Lebanon into Syria, about four or five hours walk.

And that's the majority of the people that we're meeting here. They simply don't want to be there. They have told us very startling stories of the bombs landing near them, the casualties. One man was with his four-year-old daughter and simply said she couldn't see that. He couldn't bear to see that. So this is where sort of the very basics of what is taking place inside Lebanon, as people just simply try to save their lives and cross into Syria. Not a country that they would necessarily be running to in normal circumstances, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Aneesh Raman in Yabouss, Syria there, as a number of people now crossing the border from Lebanon into Syria, many of whom work in Lebanon but finding that heading back to Syria now is the safe haven.

And you'll recall, it was Gaza where this whole conflict started. With the June 25 abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit by Hamas militants. Let's get straight to Ben Wedeman who is live with the very latest from there.

Ben, it is hard to keep track of how this all got started in the first place. Because everyone's kind of pointing fingers on who got this all started.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, but as you said this is where it started, and until the abduction of those Israeli soldiers on the border between Lebanon and Israel, really this was the hottest spot in the Middle East. Now, fortunately, it's cooled off just a bit. We've had sporadic Israeli action in Gaza in the last 24 hours, basically two major incidents just after midnight, the Palestinian Economy Ministry was hit by Israeli missiles. And earlier this day, a three-story building was also hit. One Hamas militant was killed. Eight others wounded, including a woman and two children.

The Israelis saying that they believe that at least part of that building was used for the manufacture of rockets that are intended to be fired into Israel. Anyway, we're on a corner here in Gaza City. Just below our office which is nine floors above. And we wanted to give you a better feel of what this place is like. Now, today, fortunately, excuse me, Gaza is relatively quiet.

This particular corner, however, has not always been quiet. In the past, we have been witnesses to very violent clashes between Hamas and members -- militiamen from Fatah. But as I've said, it's pretty quiet.

One of the problems at the moment under these circumstances is electricity. The Israelis several weeks ago blew out, bombed, Gaza's only power plant. As a result, there's only intermittent electricity.

What some of the merchants do around here is they'll install generators. And they provide some sort of backup power. But that's only for the ones who can afford it. Others basically have to work by candlelight.

Anyway, let's -- come with me further down the street. And we'll give you a better feel for this place. By Gaza standards this is a pretty upscale neighborhood. It's not a refugee camp. It's mostly composed of stores and whatnot and businesses. Here's a bakery. And we're going to take you into a cell phone accessory store. Where we're going to introduce you to some of the people here.

Here, I'd like to introduce you to Sam Nassir (ph). He's a policeman.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you doing?

WEDEMAN: So, Sam, you were telling me earlier you, as a police officer, have not been paid if four months because of cash crisis.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the fifth month.

WEDEMAN: The fifth month.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

WEDEMAN: How do you get by?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do I get by? Is that a joke?

WEDEMAN: It's not a joke, it's a serious question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, maybe it's a joke because you're supposed to ask this question to Mr. Haniya or Mr. -- anybody from our Palestinian government, the new government, half of it in jail and the other half is hiding under the floor or somewhere, I don't know. How are we going to get paid now? I think, like, a new election will be here. For us, to make sure things in the street is going all right.

WEDEMAN: Well, of course, one of the problems in the last three weeks has been the Israeli offensive here. How's that affected you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, the Israeli offensive started when our groups, the Palestinian groups, kidnapped -- Shalit, his name ...

WEDEMAN: But how about you, your daily life, your family?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My daily life is terrible no because like, we get scared to get hit by rockets or something like this because nobody is safe now.

WEDEMAN: Now, President Bush is discussing, at the moment, at this G-8 meeting in Russia, the Middle East crisis. What would you like to see him do about the situation?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I want to just say anything about Gaza Strip. All the time, here on the way to other places, maybe we'll talk about (inaudible) it this time and forget about Palestinian people again. Before, Bill Clinton came here. Like, we respect the American people. But the American government, this time, I think -- things are going terrible with the Palestinian people.

Since Mr. Bush -- before, even, like I mean, he get the new four years, that extra time, little bit, let us say, he doesn't do anything for the Palestinian people. And we are asking the American people, not the American government. Because we would hope American people -- all the time, they help the Palestinian people and they still want to help the Palestinian people. And we ask the American people to start put pressure on the American government to help this, this people, the Palestinian people and Gaza Strip.

WEDEMAN: Thank you very much, Samir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're welcome.

WEDEMAN: I was wondering. I see this guy's got a gun. Who is he? What's he doing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No this gun for my friend, Maran (ph), he's a policeman as well. He works with Mr. Rasheed Abu-Shbak (ph). One of the big people in Fatah. And he's one of our friends. Don't worry, like, you know what I mean? Because he carries -- he live in Sarat (ph). About 10 Ks away. He can't go home because the bridges is down. And there is no roads for him to go home. And he's still here, waiting for his friend to come and pick him up and to stay at his friend's house.

WEDEMAN: All right, thank you for that information.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not carrying gun to scare people or something. I'm a policeman, I have to look after the area around, not only here. Anywhere I go.

WEDEMAN: Thank you very much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're welcome.

WEDEMAN: Take care. All right, Fredricka, well there you have it the view from inside this store, here in Gaza.

WHITFIELD: Well, it's very interesting to hear that point of view from inside Gaza. At the same time, when we talk about this being the starting point of this latest conflict, I guess a lot of folks are still wondering, too, about the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit. Has anything been heard about how he's doing?

WEDEMAN: No, we haven't heard recently about his condition but we do know that the Egyptians are try to revive the mediation efforts to get him released. There are, in fact, at the moment, several senior Hamas officials in Cairo meeting with the head of Egyptian intelligence, trying essentially to revive this thing. Because, obviously, as long as he is in captivity, the humanitarian crisis will continue. The Israeli offensive will continue.

And there is building pressure on this street among ordinary Palestinians to really just put this thing to an end and get back to what we could call normal life here in Gaza.

WHITFIELD: Wow. All right. Fascinating stuff. Ben Wedeman there in Gaza with an interesting inside point of view from people living this every day, right there in Gaza.

Also coming up at the top of the hour, we're going to have live coverage of the Lebanese prime minister who has scheduled a press conference, as the ongoing struggle continues. The crisis in the Middle East. We'll have our live coverage to continue right after this.

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WHITFIELD: We continue to keep a close watch on the crisis in the Middle East. We've been reporting to you all day that there are something like 25,000 Americans who are now stranded in Lebanon, unable to get out because many of the roads and access routes into other countries, or just airlifting them out, all have been damaged by Israeli strikes.

Among the Americans stranded there, Caroline Shamoun, who is in Lebanon. She's American. Her husband, Paul Shamoun, is in Corpus Christi, Texas. And now we think for the first time, we've got them both on the line, able to talk to one another. She's been worried about getting back home. He's been worried about her being stuck in Lebanon. Carolyn, let me begin with you. Where are you there in Lebanon, how are you doing, what are you thinking and feeling around you?

CAROLINE SHAMOUN, AMERICAN STRANDED IN LEBANON (on phone): I'm in the Beka'a valley in Zahli (ph). And I'm here with the two boys, my kids. We're just watching the news all the time. We're waiting to hear anything from the U.S. government to support us and take us out. A lot of American people here, really afraid. I have my brother and his family, too, with his American wife. We are all American. With four kids. We are all very afraid. Just sitting, watching the news. And we don't know what to do. So we'll wait for some support.

WHITFIELD: And you were there because you were visiting family members? Were you there vacationing? What was your purpose?

C. SHAMOUN: Yes, I came to visit my mother.

WHITFIELD: And when all of this started bubbling up, the first strike started taking place and it looked like, uh-oh, we've got a series strikes going an back and forth involving parts of Lebanon and Israel, were your thoughts immediately, how do we get ourselves together and get out, or were you just waiting until it would just blow over?

C. SHAMOUN: No, I was very afraid. We start watching the news the first day. We thought maybe the next day, it will stop and we'll be able to leave. The second day, they bombed the airport. And that's when we -- more like - we took it more serious and we got more afraid because this is the exit, how we leave and go back home and see my husband. I haven't seen him and I'm ready to go back home to Corpus Christ, Texas.

WHITFIELD: All right. And your husband, Paul Shamoun, he is on the line as well out of Corpus Christi, Texas. And I imagine, Paul, you're anxious for your wife and children to make it back to the States, but realistically, what are your expectations?

PAUL SHAMOUN, HUSBAND OF AMERICAN STRANDED IN LEBANON (on phone): Well, I don't know. I'm afraid it may take a week or a couple of weeks or longer to get them back here. So at this point, we really don't know what's going to happen.

WHITFIELD: So what has the day to day grind been like for you? Are you glued to the television set, staying at home, waiting for the phone to ring? Worried, trying anxiously to get some information about whether they're getting out or when?

P. SHAMOUN: Well that does describe pretty much what's been happening. I do have work to do. But I've been trying to stay in touch as much as possible. And look for news reports, not only on TV, but on the Internet. And luckily, I've been able to stay in contact with my family. If we didn't have contact, obviously then I would really be concerned.

WHITFIELD: All right, well, we know there had been complications in you all maintaining contact. So let me allow you guys to talk to one another, Caroline and Paul, take advantage of the moment.

C. SHAMOUN: Hello, Paul.

P. SHAMOUN: Is everything OK over there?

C. SHAMOUN: I guess. They bombed Juni (ph) now. So we were wondering about that more, because we thought that is the one exit we might be able to leave to go to Cyprus. Now Juni gets bombed. I don't know how and I don't know by whom. But we're afraid. We don't know what to do.

P. SHAMOUN: Yeah, I guess stay where you're at is probably the best thing you can do.

C. SHAMOUN: I guess so ...

P. SHAMOUN: Who are the kids? Are they nervous?

C. SHAMOUN: Yes, hey are very afraid, wondering when we're going to be able to leave, and asking for being safe.

P. SHAMOUN: Stay safe. I can't wait to have you back home again.

C. SHAMOUN: We do, too and we're waiting to hear from the government. Since we called and left our number and everything. So we're waiting to get support.

P. SHAMOUN: Very good. Stay where you're at and everything.

C. SHAMOUN: OK. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: So, Caroline, how are you hoping to get information, if, indeed, some sort of airlift or air bridge is conducted to get you and other Americans out of Lebanon? How do you expect to be informed of that? So you're at the right place at the right time.

C. SHAMOUN: We were waiting -- some people are telling us, maybe by next week, we will hear on Monday. That would be after tomorrow. We'll hear it on the news. And we would have to head out, the point where they told us to leave. And we were expecting to maybe go to Cyprus. That's maybe the easiest way. And then by there. From there.

WHITFIELD: All right, Caroline Shamoun, best of luck to you. We're going to keep tabs on everything going on there in Lebanon, for you, your two sons, your brother, and his wife and kids. And Paul Shamoun, also, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Thanks so much for your input. And good luck to both of you.

P. SHAMOUN: Thank you very much.

C. SHAMOUN: Thank you for support.

WHITFIELD: More of our coverage of the crisis in the Middle East after this.

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WHITFIELD: We're minutes away from a live press conference involving the Lebanese prime minister as his country continues to take military strikes from Israel. We'll take that live. And we're continuing to watch the developments overall involving the crisis in the Middle East.

In the meantime, a burning issue here on U.S. soil, literally. Another story we're watching for you. Two wildfires merging into one, sparking big concerns for firefighters. And if that isn't enough, a third wildfire has ignited, some 50 miles away. Here's the lay of the land right now. The fires merged some 100 square miles. Now in the Yucca Valley of San Bernardino County. And that's where we also find CNN's Dan Simon who is live with the latest. Dan?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hey, Fredricka. We are at the command post at Yucca Valley High School. A little while ago, we saw Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with the first lady of California, wife, Maria Shriver. They were here to thank the firefighters. And also, to get a firsthand view in terms how this fire is being fought.

We're also going to get a firsthand glimpse from Tim Tate, with the San Bernardino County Fire Department. You know, yesterday, they were talking about these two fires merging. There was this great concern that the fires could push towards the Big Bear Community and light up some homes over there. Where are we now?

TIM TATE, SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT: Currently right now, a lot of this is based on the weather. We're waiting to see what's going to happen. There are some thunderstorms expected for this evening, into tomorrow. That will play a major role in the activity over the next few days. SIMON: Well, the rain would certainly be a relief. Because just where we are here, under the shade, it's going to be in triple digits. I can't imagine what it's like being up there with the firefighters. And you yourself are a former firefighter. How are they dealing with it?

TATE: Right now, they are just going to try to stay very hydrated. Take breaks when they can. Try to stay out of the heat, unless they have to be out there with the fire line, rest when they have the chance.

SIMON: All right. Tim Tate, thanks very much.

Fredricka, just some quick numbers for you in terms of containment, we're now at about 45 percent in terms of this fire. Crews are hoping to get these numbers up today. We're told, as you just heard, they're making some good progress. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Very good news

Still, some 1,800 homes in that area being threatened. We'll keep tabs on the development there. Dan Simon, thanks so much.

And again, at the top of the hour, a live press conference involving the Lebanese prime minister as the crisis in the Middle East continues to intensify. We're continuing to monitor all the developments. Back in a moment.

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