Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Sunday

Israeli Forces Withdraw From Two West Bank Towns

Aired October 28, 2001 - 17:12   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: And now, to the Middle East, where Israeli forces have begun withdrawing from two Palestinian-controlled towns in the West Bank. The pullouts in Beit Jala and Bethlehem come after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon agreed to remove the Israeli forces if the Palestinians hold up their end of an agreement reached last week.

Continued violence today threatened to scuttle the withdrawal, which had originally been scheduled for Saturday. Israeli police say that four civilians were killed and at least 28 others wounded in drive-by shootings.

CNN's Jerrold Kessel is joining us now with a live report with from Jerusalem there. Jerrold, can you tell us if it's just from two West Bank towns and the number of troops and equipment that's pulling out?

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is indeed that, Donna. That pullback from those towns of Bethlehem and Beit Jala under way now. And after that, there will be efforts to consolidate the cease- fires in those areas, but clearly, yes, the key question will be about the other four Palestinian towns in the West Bank that Israel has partially reoccupied over the last 10 days since the -- after the killing of an Israeli cabinet minister.

The Israelis are saying that this pullout is really a test of Yasser Arafat's intentions, and what the Palestinians do afterward will be a test of Mr. Arafat's intentions, because they say he must now go after the Palestinian militants.

But if it is a test of Yasser Arafat's intentions, it will also be a test of Ariel Sharon, Israel's prime minister, because the United States, which has brought to bear very heavy pressure on Mr. Sharon to get out of the Palestinian towns and which brokered this agreement on the first phase of pullout will want to have answers pretty quickly on when Mr. Sharon means to get out of the other four Palestinian towns in the West Bank. So, a test really of the intentions of both sides -- Donna.

KELLEY: All right. From Jerusalem, our Jerrold Kessel, thanks very much.

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