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American Morning

For Residents of Bethlehem, Siege Takes Toll on Every Aspect of Life

Aired April 29, 2002 - 08:33   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.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: There is new hope at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem this morning. Palestinian sources say that 15 civilians could leave that church today, where more than 200 armed Palestinians have been holed up for more than a month. But even those outside the church are trapped. For residents of the city of Bethlehem, the siege takes a toll on every aspect of life.

Here's a report from CNN's John Vause.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They gather in small groups at homes around Bethlehem, children of all ages, locked out of school, now taking their lessons under siege.

Ibrahim Al Fseise normally sells souvenirs to tourists. These days, there are no tourists. So for the past few weeks, he's been teaching fourth grade English, Arabic, math and science.

IBRAHIM AL FSEISE, SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: You know, it is little bit difficult for me, but I am trying my best. So even the children that are helping me, because they want to learn.

VAUSE: Classes are held four hours a day, Sunday to Thursday, all ages, taught by parents, worried their children are missing out on the most basic of education.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We like our children to be educated, because a child, if he's not educated, he will lose his future.

VAUSE: Israa Salhab is 13 years old. She wants to be a teacher. And while she enjoys the home schooling like everyone else, she looks forward to the day when the curfew will end.

ISRAA SALHAB, STUDENT: My teachers and my friends and the school.

VAUSE: Everywhere else, Bethlehem has come to a standstill. Piles of garbage grow higher by the day. An estimated 1,500 tons litter the streets. Damaged buildings and roads are left unrepaired, because when the curfew is lifted for a few hours every few days, there is a frantic rush to buy groceries, and especially cigarettes. City officials estimate it will cost at least $8 million and two years to rebuild from this occupation, and say another $15 million has been lost because no one has gone to work for almost a month.

(on camera): This is the old city's main market. Under normal circumstances, it would be crowded with people, buying fresh fruit and vegetable and meat. But for almost a month now, it's been covered with these festering piles of garbage. The smell is bad, and it's getting worse by the day. And there are flies, flies everywhere, all of them with the potential of spreading disease.

(voice-over): The biggest danger is to young children, especially from dysentery. And as this standoff continues, there are warnings that soon, the people here will openly defy the curfew.

ZIAD AL-BANDANK, BETHLEHEM DEPUTY MAYOR: Within some days, the citizens of the city will go out and they will say, we're not going to stay in our homes, we will see what the Israelis are going to do if we go in masses in streets.

VAUSE: It seems the Israelis may soon be facing another dilemma, not only how to get the Palestinians out of the Church of the Nativity, how to keep thousands more inside their homes.

John Vause, CNN, Bethlehem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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