(26 Apr 2002)

1. Wide shot of Jerusalem street scene
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ambassador Mark Sofer, Israeli Foreign Ministry official:
"The talks are going on to the best of my knowledge and we are looking, speaking to the youths. They will be released when we've finished speaking to them. That will be as soon as possible. And we presented a number of possible solutions and compromises to the Palestinians in order to stop this hostage effort that's going on there from their side. They rejected some of them until now. Talks are still going on, as you know yesterday quite a number of youngsters who were there actually held by these militants, because as far as we are concerned they could have left and they should have left at the very beginning. But, nonetheless, talks are still going on and hopefully we will resolve this issue soon."
3. Cutaway of Sofer's hands
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ambassador Mark Sofer, Israeli Foreign Ministry official:
"This is a pinpointed entry based on information that we have and in the course of the entry in Qalqiliya and some of the surrounding villages, incidentally which we have left since then, we have arrested 13 known terrorists, extremists who are responsible for some of the outrages we've seen in Israel in recent months. When this over hopefully in the very, very near future we'll be out of there immediately."
5. Israeli soldiers checking man's ID
6. Israeli soldiers stopping and checking car
8. Various of Israeli soldiers on street
9. Israeli solder keeping watch from rooftop
10. Various of Israeli soldiers at market

STORYLINE:

An Israeli foreign ministry official said on Friday that he was hopeful the siege at the Church of the Nativity could be resolved in the near future. Ambassador Mark Sofer said Israeli negotiators had presented several possible solutions to the estimated 200 Palestinian gunmen holed up inside the church of the Nativity aimed at ending the stand off.

Earlier, a Palestinian negotiator threatened to freeze negotiations unless Israel allowed nine youths who walked out of the besieged church on Thursday to return home. Eight of the nine youths were allowed to go home Friday, but one was kept in Israeli custody while the army investigated suspicions that he was involved in militant activities.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces entered the West Bank town of Qalqiliya and three villages in the search for terrorist suspects, arresting 13 Palestinians.

Sofer described the Qalqilya incursion as a "pinpoint operation" that would end very soon.

In Jerusalem security was tight ahead of Friday prayers, with Israeli soldiers and policemen checking Palestinians' ID's and cars.

Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ] ​​
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]


You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть