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CNN Sunday Morning

Israelis Pull Back From Yasser Arafat's Compound

Aired September 29, 2002 - 11:01   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour in Ramallah in the West Bank, where Israel has loosened its grip on Yasser Arafat's compound. Israeli tanks and troops have pulled back from the site, but they're still within striking distance, and Palestinian officials are downplaying the move. CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Ramallah with the latest.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, the Israelis pulled out earlier today. Now the compound is under Palestinian control. Earlier in the day, we saw the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, emerging from that compound for the first time in 10 days. He went out to greet supporters on the steps of the building, the last building remaining standing within that compound. He waved the "V" for victory sign and blew kisses to his supporters.

Earlier, hundreds of Palestinians had flocked to the compound to show their support for the Palestinian leader over the last 10 days. We've seen almost daily demonstrations by people not only here in Ramallah but throughout the West Bank and Gaza, demonstrations in support of the Palestinian leader.

This certainly has been something of a victory for Mr. Arafat, who until this 10-day siege had been under a good deal of pressure from his own people, who were calling upon him to share power with other Palestinians within the Palestinian Authority.

Now, the Israeli tanks, as I said before, pulled out this afternoon. They have not left Ramallah. We just a moment ago saw two Israeli jeeps drive by the house where I'm speaking from now. There are also Israeli troops and jeeps and armored personnel carriers directly behind the compound itself.

The Israelis have said, although they do say they have moved out of the compound, they will stay close to the compound itself, to monitor the comings and goings of people who are going into the building behind me. They say because they are looking for somewhere between 20 and 50 Palestinians they say were involved in terrorist activities against them -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Ben Wedeman. Now, those troops that are remaining just outside the compound, even though Israeli forces are saying that they pulled out, they are only about 40 yards or so, correct, from the compound?

WEDEMAN: That's correct. They've got a stationary position behind the compound, to the north of the compound, and also they do have patrols that are circling in the area around it. And as I said, they only have withdrawn from the compound itself. They still have positions all around this city and surrounding it, as well.

So they definitely haven't left, but certainly the pressure is now off Mr. Arafat. We saw his staff, his many guards coming out for the first time in 10 days. Some of them shielding their eyes because they weren't accustomed to the sunlight. But, no, the Israelis are still very much here in Ramallah -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll continue to watch the situation there. Thanks very much, Ben Wedeman. Appreciate it.

Well, President Bush issued a personal appeal to Israel calling for an end to its siege in Ramallah, a sign that crisis in the Middle East is complicating his campaign against Saddam Hussein. CNN's senior White House correspondent John King is with the president at the ranch in Crawford, and, John, what is the president saying thus far about this partial pullout, if you will, of Ramallah?

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, the first official reaction from the White House is quite favorable. A White House spokesperson Gordon Johndroe telling us just a few moments ago, quote: "The president is pleased and calls now on all parties to live up to their responsibilities for peace and security in the region and reforms in the Palestinian Authority."

We asked, what about the Palestinian criticism that this is, quote, "a sham," that the Israelis have only pulled back a little bit? The White House spokesman saying simply that the president is aware of those reports, continues to monitor developments in the region, there's nothing else to say at this moment. So the initial White House reaction is favorable, and as you noted, it comes after intense pressure from the administration.

The U.S. ambassador to Israel delivering to Prime Minister Sharon a personal message from President Bush in recent days. The message from the White House was, "end the siege at the Arafat compound." In the president's view, it only emboldens Yasser Arafat. You saw the pictures at the top of the hour. The White House saying at a time when many Palestinians are urging Mr. Arafat to step aside, to implement reforms in the Palestinian Authority, every time there is a confrontation with Israel, Mr. Arafat's popularity rises again.

The White House insists never spoken in its urgent appeals to the Israeli government was the fact that it could complicate the president's diplomacy when it comes to Iraq, but certainly administration officials concede the point. They say in the region, most Arab nations view the Israeli-Palestinian problem as much more of an issue than Saddam Hussein and Iraq -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, John King, traveling with the president. Thank you very much.

KING: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired September 29, 2002 - 11:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour in Ramallah in the West Bank, where Israel has loosened its grip on Yasser Arafat's compound. Israeli tanks and troops have pulled back from the site, but they're still within striking distance, and Palestinian officials are downplaying the move. CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Ramallah with the latest.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, the Israelis pulled out earlier today. Now the compound is under Palestinian control. Earlier in the day, we saw the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, emerging from that compound for the first time in 10 days. He went out to greet supporters on the steps of the building, the last building remaining standing within that compound. He waved the "V" for victory sign and blew kisses to his supporters.

Earlier, hundreds of Palestinians had flocked to the compound to show their support for the Palestinian leader over the last 10 days. We've seen almost daily demonstrations by people not only here in Ramallah but throughout the West Bank and Gaza, demonstrations in support of the Palestinian leader.

This certainly has been something of a victory for Mr. Arafat, who until this 10-day siege had been under a good deal of pressure from his own people, who were calling upon him to share power with other Palestinians within the Palestinian Authority.

Now, the Israeli tanks, as I said before, pulled out this afternoon. They have not left Ramallah. We just a moment ago saw two Israeli jeeps drive by the house where I'm speaking from now. There are also Israeli troops and jeeps and armored personnel carriers directly behind the compound itself.

The Israelis have said, although they do say they have moved out of the compound, they will stay close to the compound itself, to monitor the comings and goings of people who are going into the building behind me. They say because they are looking for somewhere between 20 and 50 Palestinians they say were involved in terrorist activities against them -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Ben Wedeman. Now, those troops that are remaining just outside the compound, even though Israeli forces are saying that they pulled out, they are only about 40 yards or so, correct, from the compound?

WEDEMAN: That's correct. They've got a stationary position behind the compound, to the north of the compound, and also they do have patrols that are circling in the area around it. And as I said, they only have withdrawn from the compound itself. They still have positions all around this city and surrounding it, as well.

So they definitely haven't left, but certainly the pressure is now off Mr. Arafat. We saw his staff, his many guards coming out for the first time in 10 days. Some of them shielding their eyes because they weren't accustomed to the sunlight. But, no, the Israelis are still very much here in Ramallah -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll continue to watch the situation there. Thanks very much, Ben Wedeman. Appreciate it.

Well, President Bush issued a personal appeal to Israel calling for an end to its siege in Ramallah, a sign that crisis in the Middle East is complicating his campaign against Saddam Hussein. CNN's senior White House correspondent John King is with the president at the ranch in Crawford, and, John, what is the president saying thus far about this partial pullout, if you will, of Ramallah?

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, the first official reaction from the White House is quite favorable. A White House spokesperson Gordon Johndroe telling us just a few moments ago, quote: "The president is pleased and calls now on all parties to live up to their responsibilities for peace and security in the region and reforms in the Palestinian Authority."

We asked, what about the Palestinian criticism that this is, quote, "a sham," that the Israelis have only pulled back a little bit? The White House spokesman saying simply that the president is aware of those reports, continues to monitor developments in the region, there's nothing else to say at this moment. So the initial White House reaction is favorable, and as you noted, it comes after intense pressure from the administration.

The U.S. ambassador to Israel delivering to Prime Minister Sharon a personal message from President Bush in recent days. The message from the White House was, "end the siege at the Arafat compound." In the president's view, it only emboldens Yasser Arafat. You saw the pictures at the top of the hour. The White House saying at a time when many Palestinians are urging Mr. Arafat to step aside, to implement reforms in the Palestinian Authority, every time there is a confrontation with Israel, Mr. Arafat's popularity rises again.

The White House insists never spoken in its urgent appeals to the Israeli government was the fact that it could complicate the president's diplomacy when it comes to Iraq, but certainly administration officials concede the point. They say in the region, most Arab nations view the Israeli-Palestinian problem as much more of an issue than Saddam Hussein and Iraq -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, John King, traveling with the president. Thank you very much.

KING: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com