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CNN Live At Daybreak

Israeli-Palestinian Meeting Still On Despite Bombing

Aired March 20, 2002 - 06:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Despite a suicide bombing today, a key Israeli-Palestinian security meeting is going ahead.

CNN's Jerusalem bureau chief, Mike Hanna, has a live update -- Mike, good morning.

MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, a cease- fire process is continuing despite immense pressure on the ground. Seven Israelis killed, according to Israeli police, in a suicide bombing attack aboard a bus traveling between Tel Aviv and the northern city of Nazareth.

Eyewitnesses say that a man climbed aboard the bus near the town of Afula with an explosive device strapped to his body, which he then detonated. As many as 30 people were wounded in the attack. At least 10 of them are said to be in a serious condition.

So this a major blow to attempts to get a cease-fire in place. The radical Islamic Jihad movement in phone calls to a number of news agencies has claimed responsibility for the terror attacks. It has identified the suicide bomber as a 20-year-old from a village near the West Bank city of Jenin.

However despite this attack, a security meeting, which had been planned for today between Israelis and Palestinians, is due to go ahead. Sources on both sides tell CNN the meeting will be attended to by U.S. Special Envoy Anthony Zinni, will be attended by senior security leaders from the two sides. There has been a series of meetings in recent days aimed at getting a truce in place on the ground, aimed at getting -- establishing a formal cease-fire, but these ongoing acts of violence obviously placing immense strain on the process -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Thank you -- Mike Hanna reporting live for us from Jerusalem.

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