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CNN Live Sunday

Israelis Prohibit Arafat to Celebrate Christmas

Aired December 23, 2001 - 17:17   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: A showdown may be imminent in the Middle East. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat plans to celebrate Christmas at a midnight mass in Bethlehem. But the Israeli government doesn't want him there. CNN's Jerrold Kessel takes a look at this latest impasse.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The day before the Christmas celebrations begin, the Israeli troops continue close inspection of Palestinians who are permitted in and out of the West Bank town.

"No one has the right," said Yasser Arafat, "no one, no matter how many weapons they have, to prevent the people of the brave from praying in the Church of the Nativity." Or, he added, "to pray in Jerusalem in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or the El-Aksa Mosque."

Yasser Arafat, though himself a practicing Muslim, has since the Palestinian Authority established its control of the parts of the West Bank and Gaza in 1995 attended the Christmas services in the Church of the Nativity.

Last year, despite the bloody conflict then already under way between the Palestinians and the Israelis, his motorcade was even allowed to travel through Jerusalem back from Bethlehem.

Now, the Palestinian leader has no helicopters of his own to use. His small fleet was put out of commission earlier this month in an Israeli strike in response to Palestinian suicide bombings. Despite Mr. Arafat's partial crack down, Israeli officials say his continued failure to contain the militants completely is the reason for the ban.

DORE GOLD, SENIOR SHARON AIDE: Israel understands the right of Christians to come to Bethlehem and pray Christmas Eve. And in fact, Bethlehem will be open to Christmas prayers. But Yasser Arafat does not demonstrate the same degree of charity when it comes to the lives of Israelis.

KESSEL: Even before making it to Bethlehem, Mr. Arafat would have to get through this bottleneck, a major Israeli military checkpoint dividing Jerusalem from Ramallah on the West Bank, where, to all intents and purposes, he has been marooned for the last several weeks. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres was among the Israeli ministers who opposed the ban on the Bethlehem move, for which Prime Minister Sharon managed to secure a narrow majority.

(on camera): A broader confrontation between Mr. Peres and Mr. Sharon seems to be shaping up, after the unofficial publication of a new peace plan, drawn up by the Israeli foreign minister. It calls for a cease-fire to be followed by Israeli recognition of a limited Palestinian state, as a prelude to the conclusion of a full peace within two years. Mr. Sharon is dismissing the plan as pure fiction.

Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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