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CNN Live Saturday

Violence Intensifies in Middle East

Aired March 09, 2002 - 12:08   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The Bush administration also keeping a close watch on what's going on in the Middle East. Violence there doesn't seem to let up this weekend. Israel is pressing on with its military fight, striking Palestinian targets in Gaza and the West Bank.

CNN's Michael Holmes joins us live with the latest from Jerusalem now.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, that's right. Still a very tense atmosphere here this week, and more military action taking place in both Gaza and the West Bank. Of course, following on from yesterday's death toll, Friday, here in Israel where 50 Palestinians died in military action taken by Israel, and the day before that, six Israelis killed, five settlers, one soldier.

Now, what has been happening today, more violence. A 15-year-old girl, according to Palestinian sources, shot and killed in Bethlehem. We also are told by Palestinian security sources that tanks have entered -- Israeli tanks have entered the refugee camp of the Dheishe, which is also in Bethlehem, and have told residents to stay in doors, not to leave their homes.

Now, Israeli military spokesmen tell us their tanks have surrounded the refugee camp. They can't say, however, or have not said that those tanks have actually entered the refugee camp at this moment.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military does say that it seized 10 rockets and also bomb-making equipment in raids in the town of Tulkarem, which was also the scene of heavy fighting on Friday. Sixteen people reported killed there.

One other development: the arrest of a fourth suspect in the killing of the Israeli tourism minister back in October. That's significant because it was one of the preconditions imposed by Israel on allowing Yasser Arafat to leave Ramallah, where he has been basically kept under virtual house arrest in Ramallah by Israel for some time.

Meanwhile, pressure mounting by both the United States and the European Union for Israel to talk cease-fire, and this follows Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, yesterday saying that Israel is willing to talk cease-fire while under fire. Previously he has said that there should be no such talks until there have been seven days without violence. Now, that precondition now removed, and this comes as the U.S. special envoy, Anthony Zinni, prepares to arrive in the region. He is due here next Thursday to discuss cease-fire options, and also the tenet plan that is before both sides here in this ongoing dispute.

However, the U.S. very forcefully saying to Israel, don't wait for Anthony Zinni to arrive. Talk cease-fire now -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, Michael, in fact what are ordinary Israelis saying there about the prime minister's about face? How are they reacting to the lack of conditions now for negotiating?

HOLMES: I think many Israelis would look forward to a few days without fighting of any sort. It's interesting that Ariel Sharon's popularity in the polls here has dropped in recent weeks, but there are those who say it has dropped not just because of reduced support from those who oppose what's been going on in terms of violence, but those who also think here in Israel that it's not enough. There's a very strong right wing here that says that what he has done militarily is right, and that there should be even more. And that's affected his popularity as well as those Israelis who say that too much has been happening.

The test of how this cease-fire talks offer is accepted will be largely due to -- or will largely come from the Palestinian side, who at the moment are saying what occurred here on Friday, they call it a massacre and say it is not the time to talk cease-fire at all -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks very much, Michael, for that report from Jerusalem.

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