[Andria Hall, Cnn Anchor:] We begin in the Middle East, where deadly clashes between Israeli forces and demonstrators are now in their fourth day. The worst violence in four years has now claimed at least 27 lives and left hundreds injured. It began last Thursday, after opposition leader Ariel Sharon visited a disputed religious sight in Jerusalem. CNN's Mike Hanna reports the violence continues to spread and threatens an already fragile dialogue for a permanent peace.
[Mike Hanna, Cnn Correspondent:] Spiraling violence through the Palestinian territories, here in the West Bank town of Nabalis, an attack on a Jewish enclave known as Joseph's Tomb, sharp-point ammunition is being used by both Palestinians and Israelis, and another person wounded as the casualty toll continues to increase. And among the dead, an Israeli border policeman. Outside the town, Israeli tanks move into place, as a series of confrontations begins to look more like a full-scale war. Running gun battles, too, in the Gaza Strip. And a Palestinian police outpost is struck by what appears to be an anti-tank missile. For the first time, violence erupts within Israel proper, Arab Israelis expressing their physical support for the Palestinian cause. And amidst the chaos, an assistance by the Israeli government that the peace negotiations should continue.
[Sholomo Ben Ami, Acting Israeli Foreign Minister:] The peace talks, now close to the last moments of decision, remain a major and main objective. We should not allow the tragic clashes of the last days to derail the process.
[Hanna:] But Palestinians say the conflict in the streets is a result of public frustration with a peace process in deadlock.
[Unidentified Male:] Some of the same people are supporting the peace process and they will continue to that, but of course they want results from this peace process.
[Hanna:] And the cry among the Palestinian demonstrators that they are fighting a final battle to liberate Jerusalem, and in particular the Muslim holy sites that they insist were defiled by the visit of an Israeli opposition politician last Thursday. [on camera]: It's a battle that's moved dangerously from the negotiating table into the streets. [voice-over]: The Israeli government continues to maintain that it is continuing to restore order, and its security forces showed no signs of withdrawing from the borders of the Palestinian territories. The Palestinian protesters give every indication that they will continue to confront and fight their cause. And as night falls in the West Bank, the gunfire continues to echo. Mike Hanna, CNN, Ramallah, in the West Bank.