DATE=04/19/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BUSH/JENIN (S)

NUMBER=2-288913

BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS

DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: President Bush wants an investigation into the deaths at the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank where Palestinians say Israeli troops massacred civilians. V-O-A's Scott Stearns reports, Israel says it was hunting for terrorists.

TEXT: White House spokesman Ari Fleischer says President Bush supports an investigation into the deaths at the refugee camp because he wants the "facts to be found."

Mr. Fleischer says the president has not expressed an opinion about who should carry out that investigation. He says Mr. Bush is interested in the bottom line and is not going to "micromanage" who should look into the violence.

Palestinian leaders say at least 500 people were killed in the Jenin camp earlier this month during an Israeli offensive in the West Bank. Israel says there was no wide-spread killing in its search for those responsible for a series of suicide bomb attacks.

President Bush wants Israeli troops to withdraw from Palestinian-ruled areas and Palestinian leaders to do more to stop attacks against Israeli civilians.(Signed)

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