DATE=04/15/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS (S)

NUMBER=2-288724

BYLINE=MEREDITH BUEL

DATELINE=JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

VOICE AT:

INTRO: Palestinian medical officials, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, have begun searching for bodies in the Jenin refugee camp, which has been the scene of fierce fighting in the West Bank. Correspondent Meredith Buel has details from Jerusalem.

TEXT: Teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Palestinian Red Crescent and Israeli Army are moving through the devastated Jenin refugee camp to retrieve the bodies of Palestinians killed during deadly fighting there.

Several convoys of ambulances are driving through the camp, where there has been widespread destruction after street-to-street combat.

Palestinians have charged that hundreds of people have been killed in the camp, including many civilians.

The Israeli military estimates that dozens died, most of them gunmen.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has proposed that a Middle East peace conference be held that would be sponsored by the United States.

Mr. Sharon says Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco and Palestinian representatives would be invited.

A spokesman for the prime minister says Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat would not take part in the conference.

Despite that, Mr. Arafat has expressed conditional acceptance of the idea, saying it must come with the immediate withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from Palestinian-ruled areas in the West Bank. (Signed)

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