Military

DATE=10/16/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS CLASHES (L)

NUMBER=2-268015

BYLINE=MEREDITH BUEL

DATELINE=BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK

CONTENT=

VOICE AT:

INTRO: As world leaders meet in Egypt in an effort to end more than two weeks of violence between Israel and Palestinians, clashes have again erupted across the West Bank and Gaza Strip. V-O-A Correspondent Meredith Buel in the West Bank town of Bethlehem reports hospital officials say at least two people are dead and dozens injured in clashes that in recent weeks have killed about 100 people, mostly Palestinians, in recent weeks.

TEXT:

/// SOUND OF SHOOTING ///

Bethlehem, the traditional site of Jesus' birth, looks like a war zone with Palestinian protesters hurling rocks and Israeli soldiers firing back with tear gas and rubber coated metal bullets. The smell of tear gas hangs heavy in the air, and most restaurants and shops are closed.

Bethlehem depends on tourism to keep its economy going, but large buses loaded with Christian pilgrims are being turned away at an Israeli checkpoint at the town's main entrance. The streets leading to Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity are virtually deserted as worried residents remain inside. Except for where the clashes are taking place, Bethlehem has the look of a ghost town.

There were reports of violence throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including exchanges of live fire between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunmen.

The violence and the Israeli army's closure of the territories are taking a major toll on the Palestinian economy.

Yossf Nasar owns a restaurant on the main road into Bethlehem and says he has had virtually no business since the clashes began more than two weeks ago.

/// NASAR ACT - IN ARABIC / WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION ///

You know as you can see there is no business at all. We have really already died. You know this town depends on tourists; there are no tourists so it means that we are suffering and I blame the Israelis.

/// END ACT ///

Bethlehem is the main tourist attraction in the Palestinian territories. The Palestinians and western donors spent 200-million dollars to prepare the town for numerous events designed to coincide with the new millennium.

The spokesman for the Bethlehem 2000 project, Miguel Murado, says many events have now been canceled because of the fighting.

/// MURADO ACT ///

It is a very sad thing. It is terrible. It will have, for sure, affects in the flow of tourists coming to Bethlehem and the image of the Palestinian territories. But I don't think this is really, although this is very painful, and we worked very hard in this field and for us is really very, very sad. But I don't think this is the worst of all. The worst of all is the affect on the Palestinian people in Bethlehem themselves.

/// END ACT ///

Thousands of demonstrators marched in the West Bank and Gaza Strip protesting the Middle East summit in Egypt and calling for a continuation of the intifada, or uprising, by the Palestinians. (Signed)

NEB/MB/KL/JWH