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CNN Sunday Morning

Israeli Pullback From Ramallah and Nablus in West Bank

Aired April 21, 2002 - 07:08   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Another big story this morning, the Israeli pullback from Ramallah and Nablus in the West Bank. Our Nic Robertson has driven the streets of Ramallah and he joins us now with the latest on Israeli military movement.

Hello, Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kyra. Well, Palestinians in the town of Ramallah wasted no time this morning, as soon as it was clear - daylight came around 7:00 a.m. here, about four or five hours ago, people began to go out on the streets and we saw people opening up their businesses, sweeping out broken glass in some areas and clearing up the refuse that had been piling up on the streets in other areas. People really pouring out on the streets very quickly, trying to get their lives back to normal here.

Now, around the area of Yasser Arafat's compound, to the north of Ramallah, that still remains under tight Israeli army security. Downtown, the military checkpoints that have been there all gone. Residents who are close to Yasser Arafat's compound tell us that in their neighborhood - this is the neighborhood just close to Yasser Arafat's compound - that they still have a curfew there, that they are not allowed out of their homes. From what we saw this morning, inside Yasser Arafat's compound, three Israeli army tanks, a number of APCs and a tight security presence there.

Now, the reason for that, the Israeli government says, is because inside Yasser Arafat's compound, there are men they want to charge with the death of an Israeli minister, the minister of terrorism last year and until those men are handed over, they say, they will continue to guard Yasser Arafat's compound, not allow him or the other people in there with him out - Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson, thank you.

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