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American Morning
Standoff Continues Outside Arafat Residence During Negotiations
Aired May 01, 2002 - 09:03 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: "Up Front" this morning, Israeli tanks and soldiers still surround the compound of Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat. Before the chairman will enjoy freedom, that is, once again, negotiators first have to work out how to turn over six Palestinians inside the compound who are wanted by Israel.
They are considered terrorist by Israeli officials, and CNN's Matthew Chance is in Ramallah. He's joins us now.
Good morning -- Matthew.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
I'm just looking a bit distracted because, as you were leading into my interruption, I'm hearing a few gunshots flying around just a short distance from where we're standing right now. And it's no where near the compound at this stage but I think it just illustrates the tension that really is still existing here in Ramallah as Israeli troops continue to impose their siege around the headquarters of Yasser Arafat.
We had a lot of gunfire last night as well. We've spoken to Palestinian officials, though, inside the compound and they tell us that there is no kind of military action, no kind of assault taking place on their compound. It's just that part of normal tension that exists here in Ramallah itself.
As you mention, there, though, after months of confinement here in the West Bank town of Ramallah and under siege by the Israeli armed forces since the end of March, Yasser Arafat could soon be allowed to essentially walk free, at least in the areas around the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under the control of the Palestinian authority.
First, though, the terms of the U.S. initiative, in order to end that siege, have to be agreed upon. A second round of meetings between Palestinian officials and security experts from Britain and the United States is currently underway in the West Bank town of Jericho where that team is inspecting a Palestinian prison. Where it's proposed the six-wanted Palestinians currently holed up inside the compound with Yasser Arafat will be taken and placed under the guard of U.S. and British monitors. Four of those Palestinians, remember, have already been convicted by a Palestinian court of killing Israel's tourism minister last October. Israel wants to make sure there's no revolving door situation emerge before it calls its troops off here in Ramallah. Paula, back to you.
ZAHN: So Matthew, what is the speculation as to the earliest date Yasser Arafat will be able to walk around freely?
CHANCE: Well, Palestinian officials have refused to put a date on this. But what they have disclosed to us is that as soon as the six wanted Palestinians inside that compound in Ramallah have been -- a few more shots there ringing out, I don't know whether you heard that -- as soon as the six Palestinians have been transferred into the custody of the British and American team then the Israeli troops will be ordered out and only then, of course, will Yasser Arafat be allowed to come out of the compound, itself.
When that will happen, we're hoping it will be this evening. But obviously, we're watching the situation very closely because things can stall here. Situations can change here, as you know, very quickly indeed, Paula.
ZAHN: And Matthew, before we let you go, put into context the gunfire you're hearing now. I know you said that you are not anywhere near the compound but how common is it to hear the kind of gunfire you're hearing right now as you deliver this report?
CHANCE: Well, I would say we're not that near. In fact, I mean, there's security cordon all around the compound, which is why we're not near the compound itself. The Israeli military not allowing us to get any closer, essentially, than this to the compound but they have heavy armor, tanks, armored personnel carriers posted if a tight security cordon all around the compound. Obviously, that breeds a certain amount of tension. Those security forces of Israel nestled in amongst us.
Of course, this Palestinian town, which is extremely hostile to the presence of Israeli forces and what they consider their legitimate Palestinian state or the future legitimate Palestinian state -- so that in itself breeds a lot of tension. All last night I sat up awake listening to what must have been thousands of machine gun rounds being fired off from heavy, heavy-duty machine guns on tops of tanks and armored-personnel carriers into targets across the city. So a lot of gunfire here and a lot of tension between the Palestinians and the Israelis here still.
ZAHN: All right. You stay safe, Matthew Chance. Thank you for that report.
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