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CNN Live Sunday

Orthodox Christian Holy Day Spent in Negotiation

Aired May 05, 2002 - 17:11   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.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN ANCHOR: An Orthodox Christian Holy Day was spent in negotiation, the goal to end the standoff at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity. Palestinian sources now say there are 123 Palestinians still inside the church, along with 30 clergy members. CNN's Senior International Correspondent Walter Rodgers reports on the growing frustration over the month long standoff.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): For Orthodox Christians in the Holy Land, this was a bitter Easter, not the hoped for celebration of the resurrection of their Lord. On their most important holiday, they remained locked out of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, traditional site of Jesus' birth because of a standoff between the Israeli army and Palestinian gunmen inside their church.

That continuing standoff has raised the anger of the Vatican as well. Cardinal Roger Etchegaray is the Pope's emissary.

ROGER ETCHEGARAY, POPE'S EMISSARY (through translator): This morning will herald the liberation of the Basilica of the Nativity of Jesus in Bethlehem, which for the past five weeks has become the humiliation of Christianity as a whole and a candle for the whole of humanity.

RODGERS: Israeli tanks and armor continue to surround the church because Israelis say upwards of 40 hardcore armed Palestinians are still inside, using the church as a fortress. Salat Tamari, a Palestinian negotiator earlier in the standoff said after 36 days, conditions inside are appalling.

SALAT TAMARI, PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: The people were hungry. The people were starving. The people inside the church didn't have clean water to drink. The people inside the church could not reach the toilets because that exposed them to the Israeli fire.

RODGERS: An Israeli spokesman said they allowed more food into the church overnight, as the public relations battle for the moral high ground continues. Meanwhile, Israelis displayed what they say was another Palestinian arms cache they found in Bethlehem.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible) we found a bomb.

RODGERS: Palestinian sources say 150 or so people remain inside the church, including 30 priests and nuns.

RODGERS (on camera): Both Israelis and Palestinians have expressed a willingness to end this standoff at the Church of the Nativity before an unstated deadline of Tuesday when Prime Minister Sharon meets President Bush in Washington. Another reason everyone wants this to end now, no one has particularly showered themselves with glory here. Walter Rodgers, CNN, Bethlehem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KARL: Pope John Paul II prayed for peace in the Middle East on a day when Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter. The Pope celebrated Sunday mass on the Italian island of Isha (ph) in the Mediterranean. This is the pontiff's first trip outside Rome since January.

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