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Sustained Shelling in Middle East; Desperate to Leave Beirut; Religious Sites Caught in Crossfire of Violence

Aired July 17, 2006 - 13:59   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the U.S. gears up for a rescue effort amid the crisis in the Middle East. Here's what we know right now.
The State Department is preparing to evacuate thousands of Americans from Lebanon on military helicopters, chartered planes and a cruise ship. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to head to the Mideast. No word on when.

Israel isn't backing off. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he'll keep fighting unless and until Hezbollah releases Israeli hostages and stops firing rockets into Israel. Israel also wants the Lebanese army to deploy around the border.

A softer tone from French minister Dominique de Villepin. He's in Lebanon calling for an immediate cease-fire. Israel fired missiles today at Beirut's port and an army barracks. And Hezbollah rockets again hit the Israeli city of Haifa.

So far, the Lebanese report more than 160 people dead in that six-day conflict. Israel reports 24 dead, hundreds more wounded on both sides.

Now, CNN's worldwide resources are fanned out across the region on both sides of the conflict. Our correspondents are in Beirut, Lebanon; Haifa, Israel. They're watching tensions boil and violence escalate in Gaza, and they're watching as Americans try to get out of Lebanon. Some are heading to Cyprus; thousands of others are crossing the border into Syria.

We're going to take you there live.

Northern Israel is bracing for more rocket attacks.

CNN's John Vause is there, right in the middle of the action.

John, what's it like now?

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, the guns are silent right now, but these howitzers have been firing fairly regularly. It's been sustained shelling. It also has been very deadly shelling as Israel tries to force back those Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. But it is not stopping the rocket fire coming from Hezbollah militants.

According to the Israeli military, more than 60 Katyusha rockets and other missiles have been fired in the past 24 hours. As you mentioned, Kyra, some of those rockets falling on the port city of Haifa yet again.

There, a building was hit. At least 11 people were hurt, some of them in serious condition.

Israel has now closed Haifa -- the port of Haifa, sending all shipping to the city of Ashdod. Other missiles have gone as far into the Israeli territory as the city of Afula. Apparently the target there was an Israeli air force base.

Now, Israel's defense minister says that he wants to create a buffer zone between Israel and the Hezbollah militants. That is why we're seeing this artillery shelling, and that is why Israel continues to carry out those airstrikes, particular in the southern part of Lebanon.

A short time ago, Israeli media reporting that a senior Hezbollah commander in the south of Lebanon was wounded in one of those latest airstrikes. The airstrikes are also taking a toll on the civilian population, the Lebanese civilians.

According to a number of reports there, at least 10 civilians were killed today when their cars were hit by an Israeli missile strike. Still no confirmation on that from the Israeli side. And the prime minister, Ehud Olmert, says that he does not want war, he just wants peace -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. John Vause, we'll keep checking in with you, of course, a couple times each hour throughout the day.

Israel is bombarding Hezbollah targets in Lebanon for six days.

CNN's Alessio Vinci joins me from Beirut, where those evacuations are under way.

Tell us how they're going -- Alessio.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra.

Well, the Americans are making plans to evacuate their nationals out of Beirut, and out of Lebanon, for that matter. The French government has already begun in earnest its evacuation program. A Greek ferry has arrived here in Beirut a bit earlier today, and we understand that by tonight, 1,200 people will be leaving.

Eight hundred of them French nationals, 400 will be from other European nationalities. And, we understand, also, a few Americans. The ferry will make its journey overnight to Cyprus, will where he will arrive at daybreak tomorrow. We understand that 6,000 French people have registered to leave, and there will be more ferries coming here in the few -- next few days, and they will all be able to get out of here safe and sound, according to the French government.

Now, meanwhile, the British government has not started its own evacuation program yet, but they are organizing it. We've seen British helicopter arriving here in the past few days. Two of them flew back to Cyprus today, we understand, by carrying out elderly people, children that had to be reunited with their families, and those in medical need. And, therefore, those urgent cases cannot wait for the full evacuation program to go under way.

And, of course, there's been more bombing throughout the day, not just here in Beirut, but throughout the country this morning. At the port just, you know, not too far away from where the French ferry has docked later -- later on, two strikes at a facility there, where there were two trucks and drivers there. Two drivers were killed throughout the country.

And a military barracks with Lebanese soldiers was hit. Six of them were killed and more than 20 wounded. And this was a direct hit against that Lebanese military facility. The first time that we understand the Israeli air forces have attacked directly and cautiously Lebanese and military personnel.

Two soldiers were killed last -- last week, but we understand those were sort of a mistake, if you want. But that is a direct hit that the Lebanese army has taken over last night in the north here, about 50 miles north of Beirut.

Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: Yes, we've been wondering if they were going to get active.

Alessio Vinci, thanks so much.

CNN's Tony Harris has an eye on the CNN international desk, on the Web, and various Mideast television stations, of course.

And Tony, we were talking about evacuations with Alessio there out of Lebanon.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: That's right.

PHILLIPS: I understand you've got some video now.

First pictures?

HARRIS: Want to see some pictures?

PHILLIPS: Sure.

HARRIS: Yes, let's show you some pictures. Pictures just into CNN, released to us by the Pentagon, to give you a sense of what the operation looks like on the ground as the U.S. military, Marines, in this Marine chopper, now actually evacuating folks out of Beirut and landing here, deplaning on the island of Cyprus.

We're talking about 21 Americans that were evacuated yesterday. So, these are pictures of an operation from yesterday just being released to us today. Twenty-one Americans to Cyprus, out of Beirut. We know that the State Department and the Pentagon coordinating to get more Americans out using chartered planes and a cruise ship to make those evacuations happen. But we wanted to show you those pictures of the operation yesterday to give you a sense of what it looks like on the ground as people are hustled on to military helicopters and flown a short distance to the island of Cyprus -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Tony. We'll keep checking in with you.

HARRIS: Sure thing.

PHILLIPS: Appreciate it. Thanks for monitoring the new pictures.

Of course, we'll continue to tell you how many more people are able to get out of Lebanon. At this point, about 64, according to the State Department, thousands, possibly more, throughout the day.

Now, Israel says it has no plans to stand down, at least not until it accomplishes three main goals.

CNN's Paula Newton joins me now from Jerusalem with more -- Paula.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Those three main goals, of course, are bringing back the two captured Israeli soldiers. Most controversial, that goal is getting -- is breaking Hezbollah, as the Israeli government says, bringing them to its knees. And also, after that, pushing back Hezbollah further into Lebanon.

You know, it was quite an emotional speech, Kyra, and he was definitely directing it towards the military, and more than that. The more than million Israelis that right now are taking cover in bomb shelters, in basements in their home, and in safe rooms in their home, he made it quite clear that they have no intention of stopping, that this is a moment of truth for the country, and that Israel refuses to be a play thing for terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EHUD OLMERT, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We shall seek out every single site. We shall hunt down every single terrorist who is threatening Israel. We shall destroy all the infrastructure of terrorism. We should do this until Hamas and Hezbollah do the basic and decent things that they ask to do, demanded -- that's demanded of them by every single civilized person. Israel will not agree to live in the shadow of the threat of the rockets and missiles directed at its citizens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: The problem here, though, of course, is that this will be a difficult speech for the Lebanese civilians under those Israeli bombs to swallow, Kyra. You know, he added that the strength of a people is not measured just by military might, but by morality. And again, the Lebanese who are sitting under those bombs right now are wondering what it all means and how much longer the Israeli government intends to go through with this -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Paula. Thank you.

Three weeks and counting. Israel is also fighting in Gaza, and our Matthew Chance is there -- Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, thanks very much.

Well, the Lebanese militia group Hezbollah may not have many friends in the international community, but certainly here in the Gaza Strip it's where it's winning some hearts.

Thousands of Palestinians earlier today marched through the center of this overcrowded Gaza City to show their support for Hezbollah and the militant leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Some of them waving bright yellow Hezbollah flags, others carrying posters of the -- of the militia leader.

Many Palestinians see Hezbollah's action against Israel, its firing of rockets into the territory of Israel, as an act of support for them, an act of retaliation for what they believe they've been going through for the past several weeks and, indeed, the past several years at the hand of Israeli forces. They see Hezbollah as a group that is standing up for their cause when other Arab states, in their view, have not, have not failed them.

And so, that's led, inevitably, to the popularity of Hezbollah, absolutely skyrocketing in this Gaza Strip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are one. And our way is one. And our enemy is one. And we here in Palestine stand in all firmness with our brothers there in the Islamic resistance, and their leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHANCE: Well, it's not just the satisfaction of seeing those -- those missiles land in northern Israel fired by Hezbollah. There's also a pragmatic reason, Kyra, for the support of the Palestinians of Hezbollah.

They believe if Hezbollah can apply enough pressure to the Israeli state, then they'll be able to broker a favorable deal to exchange the three Israeli service personnel that are being held both by Hezbollah -- two of them in Lebanon -- the other one of them here in the Gaza strip, exchange them for the many thousands of Palestinian prisoners that are currently being held in Israeli jails.

So, for the Palestinian people, many of whom have their sons in Israeli jails at moment, see these Israeli soldiers as the best bargaining chip they have had in many years with the Israelis -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So, Matthew, the word that you're getting is that those three Israeli soldiers are still alive?

CHANCE: Well, we're not getting any word on what's happening with the two Israeli soldiers that are being held in Lebanon, we assume, by Hezbollah, at least, or were captured by Hezbollah. But what we are hearing here in the Gaza Strip, Gilad Shalit, the young Israeli corporal that was seized last month in an operation by the Hamas military wing, we're here hearing on the ground, according to both Palestinian sources and Israeli officials, as well, that they believe that this individual is still alive.

He's someone who the Palestinian militants believe is, as I say, a very key negotiating chip for them. And they want to do some -- some deal that would see a return of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for him at some point down the line. They believe that will happen.

PHILLIPS: All right.

Matthew Chance in Gaza.

Thank you.

Well, it's a good time to leave Beirut, but it's also a difficult time, not to mention very dangerous. British helicopters began picking up British citizens today, and U.S. Marine choppers airlifted some Americans to Cyprus.

Michelle Williamson's son is one of those stuck in Lebanon. Michael Beyrouti is her son who is there. He joins us by phone.

Michelle, we'll talk in a second, but let's hear from Michael.

Michael, we finally were able to touch base with you. Tell us exactly where you are.

MICHAEL BEYROUTI, STRANDED IN LEBANON: Right now I'm in north Juni, really. It's a little town called Adma (ph).

PHILLIPS: And your mother tells me you're with relatives. Is that right?

BEYROUTI: Yes, I'm with my aunt and uncle.

PHILLIPS: You're with your aunt and uncle. And is this the first time that you had a chance to meet this aunt and uncle?

BEYROUTI: No, they've come to America before, but this is the first time I've been here.

PHILLIPS: And let me ask you -- your mom really -- she was a little nervous about you going over there, wanted to wait until you were 17. Obviously, she wanted you to learn about the culture and meet your family. You're definitely getting a taste for the culture, wouldn't you say?

BEYROUTI: Oh, yes.

PHILLIPS: Well, tell me what you have learned thus far, how things have taken such a turn within the past couple of weeks.

BEYROUTI: I don't know, it's just different. It's hard to explain.

PHILLIPS: Well, what is different? Do you feel you're in harm's way?

BEYROUTI: No. I mean, where we are right now there's -- there's really nothing to worry about.

PHILLIPS: OK. I think that's what...

BEYROUTI: But...

PHILLIPS: Yes? Go ahead.

BEYROUTI: But, I mean, we see stuff and we can hear stuff. But, I mean, it's nothing that we have to worry about.

PHILLIPS: All right. Now, that sound like a typical male teenager. Mom, don't worry, everything's fine.

But I'm going to bring your mom into this now, Michael.

Tell me what has been on your mind, Michelle.

MICHELLE WILLIAMSON, SON STRANDED IN LEBANON: Well, I just think about the size of Lebanon, and it's so small. I remember Michael's father telling me it's the size of Rhode Island. And that's tiny. I mean, that's our tiniest state. And, you know, how safe can he be when he's in a country that's that small?

PHILLIPS: And you met Michael's father when you were in college, right?

WILLIAMSON: Correct.

PHILLIPS: And you remember -- I mean, he came to this country to help support his family in Lebanon.

Tell me what it was like when you two were dating and what you remember that he told you about this country.

WILLIAMSON: He was very, very proud of his country. Extremely proud. He talked about how beautiful it was before the war. And, you know, how -- you know, he talked -- he's Christian, and, you know, talked about the Christianity. His family went to church almost every day. And...

PHILLIPS: And while you two were in college together he was earning money to send back to the family.

Is that right?

WILLIAMSON: No. Actually, his family was sending him money.

PHILLIPS: Oh, OK.

WILLIAMSON: And then when the war got -- worsened, it was difficult for him -- for them to send him money.

PHILLIPS: That's when he had to...

WILLIAMSON: That's why he had to stop school.

PHILLIPS: OK. And that's when he started to earn a living. And was he ever able to finish school?

WILLIAMSON: No, he never finished school.

PHILLIPS: Wow.

WILLIAMSON: No.

PHILLIPS: All right. Well, you, you did marry. You had Michael.

WILLIAMSON: Yes.

PHILLIPS: And I know that your husband -- you lost your husband in a car accident.

And Michael, I just want to ask you about, you had a chance -- did you have a chance to go visit your father's grave site? I know that's what you wanted to do and that was important to you. Did you get a chance to do that before this broke out?

BEYROUTI: Oh, yes. Yes, I did that the first week I came.

PHILLIPS: And you were also able to spend time with your grandfather before he passed. You were only there a few days, is that right?

BEYROUTI: Right. Right. Yes. Just days after.

PHILLIPS: What were you able -- what were you able to talk to him about?

BEYROUTI: He doesn't speak much English, so it was kind of hard to communicate, but, I mean, it was just small talk.

PHILLIPS: But it was pretty good, I'm sure, to get in touch with the roots. I mean, your family members said he tried to hang in there to be able to meet you before he did pass away.

What do you think the most memorable part of this trip has been? It's obviously been emotional. You visited your father's grave site, you met your grandfather before he passed. Now you're in the middle of what we're reporting on is quite an intense battle in Lebanon.

Is that even fazing you in any way?

BEYROUTI: I mean, you can't do stuff. It's hard to do stuff. Like, you can't go into the city or anything, so, it's affecting, you know, what you're able to do. But, I mean, it's not -- I'm not really worried.

WILLIAMSON: The teenage perspective.

PHILLIPS: Yes, there you go.

Final thoughts. What are -- what are you doing now?

At least he's making you laugh, right? Because you've been a nervous wreck.

Do you want to say something real quickly to your son?

WILLIAMSON: Well, I've been talking to him every day. And he knows I love him and I miss him and I want him home.

PHILLIPS: Michael...

BEYROUTI: Me too.

PHILLIPS: Ah, there we go. All right.

Michael, we're going to -- we're going to stay in touch with you and figure out when you get out of there. OK? We'll be in touch.

BEYROUTI: All right. Cool.

PHILLIPS: Michelle, thanks so much.

WILLIAMSON: All right. Thank you.

PHILLIPS: I think -- I don't think you need to worry. After talking to him now, it sounds like everything's OK where he is.

WILLIAMSON: Yes. He sounds happy, even though there's a lot of, you know, terrible stuff going on right now.

PHILLIPS: Well, we'll stay in touch with you as well.

WILLIAMSON: Thank you very much.

PHILLIPS: Thanks for being with us. I appreciate it.

Well, the holy land in harm's way. Will the latest violence leave a permanent scar? We're going to talk with Faith and Values Correspondent Delia Gallagher just ahead to get a biblical perspective of where this is all happening.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: A real test of faith for the holy land. The Mideast crisis has put some of the world's oldest and most cherished sites under fire.

Let's bring in our faith and values correspondent, Delia Gallagher, for more -- Delia.

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN FAITH AND VALUES CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

You know, it's not called the "holy land" for nothing. The Middle East is the spiritual home for many of the world's religions, and the site of important churches and landmarks that are also caught in the crossfire.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GALLAGHER (voice-over): It's almost impossible to bomb a town in the Middle East without hitting a piece of history. Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, full of ruins and shrines, provide a foundation for many of the world's major religions. Biblos (ph), the Mediterranean Sea town where Israeli ships are now blockading Lebanon is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

Just 22 miles from Beirut, the city dates back to 7,000 b.c. the word "bible" comes from Biblos. The papyrus from which the bible is written believes to have entered from this port now under siege.

JON ALTERMAN, DIR. OF MIDDLE EAST PROGRAMS: The number of religions in religious movements that have started, not only in Lebanon and Israel, but even in places like Syria that may soon come under conflict. There are people all over the world who look here for their spiritual inspiration and now they see bombs and bullets flying both ways.

GALLAGHER: The Israeli city of Haifa, where two missiles landed Thursday, is the worldwide headquarters of the Baha'i faith founded in Persia in the 19th century. Mount Carmel, high above Haifa, is the site of the Jewish prophet Elijah's cave. Mount Carmel's also home to the Carmelites, a Roman Catholic monastic order of the 12th century that is still there today.

Also hit by bombs was Zefad or Safed in upper Galilee, the ancient home of Kabbalah, the mystical form of Judaism began in the 16th century. The book of Genesis traces Noah's son and grandson to this area. Safed made headlines in modern times when Madonna, the pop singer, not religions figure, visited in 2004.

In the middle of the fighting in southern Lebanon is the town of Cana, there place where Jesus was said to have turn water into wine.

ALTERMAN: One of the things we see in other conflicts is that when something does get hit, people all over the world feel a personal connection, they see intimation, but there's also a spiritual connection. So in the event that something goes horribly wrong and one of the religious sites does get hit we can imagine the resonance of that is going to be much, much more than merely gunfire back and forth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GALLAGHER: And so, Kyra, as you can see, many of these sites that have not yet been directly hit people are watching, though, because these are very important spiritual and historical landmarks.

PHILLIPS: Well, back to Haifa for a minute, I know you've been there. You've spent time with the nuns there. And I know you've been talking back and forth.

What is the latest from them?

GALLAGHER: Well, these nuns are a Carmelite. It's a Carmelite monastery.

They're a contemplative, monastic order, and they live on a hill called Mt. Carmel, just above Haifa. You know, so you see the beautiful water in the seaport town of Haifa, and then there's this hill which was the original cave of Elijah, the prophet -- the great Jewish prophet, Elijah.

And the Carmelites built this monastery there, and they say that -- you know, there is only 13 of them there at the moment. And they have had some -- some effects of the missiles. They've felt the kind of shaking and the other things that people have described, but they haven't been directly hit yet.

So, they are concerned, like all of the people in Haifa, for what is going on down near the port, because that seems to be where they have been hit the hardest.

PHILLIPS: You know, we start talking about this one question -- and I know I didn't run it by you, Delia, and I hope you're OK with this -- but I wanted to ask you, the scriptures, reading the bible, do you think -- some are saying what's happening has been predictable, according to the bible.

Are you seeing that talk on the Web and among theologians?

PHILLIPS: Well, there's always been talk of the "Book of Revelations," which you're referring to. And there's all kind of descriptions in the "Book of Revelations" about wars and things that with will happen at the end of time.

And what is supposed to happen, of course, according to the bible, at the end of time is the return of the messiah, the return of Jesus. And it's interesting that we mentioned Elijah on Mt. Carmel, because that is one of the beliefs from the Jewish testament that Elijah would come back.

These great prophets being sort of taken up as Elijah was by this fiery chariot into heaven. And the Jewish people originally expected him to come back. And, in fact, when Jesus first came and walked the earth, many people thought this was the return of Elijah.

So, I mean, this has been from time and memorial that people have expected the return of some kind of a religious figure, and that generally that return was going to be accompanied by wars and trials and tribulations. And, so, that is something, of course that has gone on in the discussions amongst some Christian groups, in particular. And it's something that they consider maybe a sign, especially, of course, with the holy land.

This is the place where this is all supposed to happen.

PHILLIPS: Faith and Values Correspondent Delia Gallagher.

Thanks so much, Delia.

GALLAGHER: You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: Well, CNN's Tony Harris has an eye on the CNN international desk and on the Web.

Tony, what are we hearing?

HARRIS: Hey, Kyra, you got time for a couple of e-mails from the region?

PHILLIPS: Absolutely. Absolutely.

HARRIS: OK.

CNN.com is asking readers affected by the fighting going on right now in the Middle East to send in their stories. Here's the address; yourviews@cnn.com.

Got just a couple I want to share with you, Kyra.

Lynn from Beirut writes, "I study at the American University of Beirut. I live here alone. My parents live in the Emirates. My younger brother came to Lebanon to visit me for the summer for a few days before the war started, and now we're both stranded here alone."

"We're trying to leave, but I love my country, and seeing it come down breaks my heart. And I don't want to have to leave, but I want to get my brother to safety. If I leave, I hope I'll be able to come home again soon."

And this from Nimrod in Israel, who writes -- I hope that's his real name and it's not some kind of joke here -- Nimrod, "I'm 33 years old living in a town 50 kilometers south of Haifa. Right now, my wife's sister and her family have fled the north and came to live with us. We, too, are in the range of Hezbollah missiles, and we have nowhere to run."

"I wish the world would stop choosing sides by religion. I don't care if he is a Muslim and I am a Jew. I care about my year-old son, and I'm sure a Lebanese man is worried about his. I wish I could just stand in front of a TV camera and yell, 'Stop!'"

OK. Views from the region. And, actually, Kyra, views from people in the United States who are reacting to what they're seeing at CNN as they watch on television.

Here is the address one more time, yourviews@cnn.com. We have more e-mails we'll get to in the next couple hours of your show -- Kyra. PHILLIPS: Sound good. We look forward to it.

Thanks, Tony.

HARRIS: Sure thing.

PHILLIPS: New attacks on Beirut and northern Israel. Many Westerners being flown or shipped away from the danger zone.

And firefighters closer to surrounding a devastating wildfire in southern California, but the worst may be yet to come.

And crank up the air conditioning. It's just getting hotter out there, 100 degrees or higher from coast to coast.

Stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.

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