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American Morning

Israelis, Palestinians Fight at Church of Nativity

Aired April 04, 2002 - 08:08   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now for more on the violent standoff between Israeli forces and Palestinian gunmen at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Let's go to Ben Wedeman, who joins us now by video phone from outside that church in Bethlehem -- good morning. What is the very latest from there?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Paula, we're about 200 to 300 meters from the Church of the Nativity. Now, we've been hearing reports throughout the day about an explosion going off destroying one of the doors of that church. Now, the Israeli Army is denying it. They say that no such thing took place. One of the soldiers I spoke with here on the ground said that they have no interest in going into the church. So it's very difficult to say.

Now, what I think you may see behind you is an idea of the situation here. These streets are empty. And what you're looking at is a house in this very crowded city with narrow streets that has been hit by a tank shell. And really the amount of destruction in this part of town, in the old city, is really quite extensive. We have seen dozens of -- not dozens, but at least a dozen crushed cars, crushed by tanks. We've got bullet holes everywhere. In fact, here in this square, which is called Madbasseh Square, the main monument, which is a monument to the friendship between Bethlehem and its twin city, Cologne in Germany, has been run over by the tanks, the rocks from that monument strewn around this square.

Now, we did have a chance to speak to some of the people in this town. They are cowering behind their windows and doors. Many of the windows have been shot out so the cold, rainy wind is blowing through their homes. They say that some of them need medicine, but they can't get out because of the danger of moving around in this city. Ambulances can't reach them. They can't get to stores because of the round the clock curfew.

So, Paula, it is a very tense and a very difficult situation here in the old city of Bethlehem.

ZAHN: And, Ben, you were just talking about how contradictory the reports are about whether the door of this church had been blown off or not. From where you're standing, can you see any indication of that or is it just on the other side of that building? WEDEMAN: No, it's a bit further down the road, about, as I said, somewhere between 200 and 300 meters. Now, we were able to go down this road quite a bit, but we weren't able to get close enough to see. Now we did speak with the Israeli military spokesmen and we told them that by allowing us to get to the church of, not necessarily to the Church of the Nativity, which is quite dangerous, but Manger Square, which is quite large, we would be able to see with our own eyes and settle this once and for all to say whether this event, this blast of one of the doors at the church occurred or not.

But they said we were not allowed to go, we could not get any closer. They said that it's dangerous, which I will agree with them, it is dangerous. And it's a closed military area and we were advised to vacate.

So we really are unable at this point to provide independent verification of what happened at the Church of the Nativity this morning -- Paula.

ZAHN: Ben, what do you make of the reports that some of those Palestinian gunmen have actually left the Church of the Nativity? Can anybody confirm that?

WEDEMAN: I certainly cannot. But it cannot be ruled out. There was a case here in Bethlehem of another church where there were allegedly somewhere between 60 and 80 Palestinian gunmen holed up along with the priests and nuns who were in there. Now, this was last night. Now, surprisingly the Israeli Army came out with a statement last night in which it said that they had gained control of the area, but those 60 to 80 Palestinian gunmen had disappeared, escaped.

Now, how that can occur I honestly don't know, but obviously the Palestinians know this town better than the Israelis. They know the alleys, the ins and outs and it certainly is possible that some of them have been able to escape -- Paula.

ZAHN: And also, Ben, this is not a new strategy, is it, to seek sanctuary in such a holy place? After all, the Church of the Nativity is the site where it is believed that Jesus was born.

WEDEMAN: Well, Paula, it certainly is the first time that this has occurred, to the best of my knowledge, here. We've been told by Palestinians who recall back during the 1967 War when this was also the scene of fighting between the Jordanian Army, which was here at the time, and the Israeli Army and that civilians did seek refuge in the Church of the Nativity and other churches, as well. This is not unusual. So people do seek refuge.

Now, in the case of gunmen, I think certainly to the best of my knowledge this is the first time his happens here -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right, Ben Wedeman, thank you very much for that report. Please stay safe.

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