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CNN Live Today

United Nations Observers Killed in West Bank

Aired March 26, 2002 - 14:17   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We have been watching this situation in the Middle East. Getting reports now that there has been a shooting apparently somewhere in the West Bank. Back to Jerusalem and Michael Holmes. Michael, the word I'm getting, some international peacekeeping forces may be involved here. What happened?

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: International observers, Bill, that's correct. Two international observers, U.N. international observers there from Norway have been killed while driving along a road near a Palestinian village in the West Bank not far from Hebron. Of course, Hebron, a divided city.

Now what we are told by the Israeli military is that what they call Palestinian gunmen opened fire on a vehicle which was carrying these two men driving along this road near this village, a Palestinian village, as I said. It's called Halhoul, which is just north of Hebron. The two observers were killed outright in this shooting. And that's not good news.

Now this is a road, an area, where there have been attacks in the past, shooting attacks in the past on Israeli settlers. A little bit of background for those who don't know, Hebron, if you like, is a divided city in the West Bank. It is heavily populated by Palestinians. However, in the city itself, there is a small enclave, if you like, of Israeli settlers, only a couple of hundred or so. However, they are heavily defended by Israeli military.

And there is a U.N. observer group. It's actually called TIPH, the Temporary International Presence in Hebron. There's just a few dozen of these observers from six EU countries. They are unarmed and they are there to monitor tensions between these settlers in Hebron and the local Palestinian population. Two of these observers, it would appear, from Norway have been killed in what appears to have been an ambush on this road just north of Hebron, Bill.

HEMMER: Yes. And, Michael, I know you're not there, but if you could clarify this. Under what circumstance could it be that these observers could be targets, if indeed this was an ambush there in the West Bank?

HOLMES: Yes. Very early at the moment, Bill, but I think it would be fair to say that U.N. observers have never been targeted in this manner before. And not wanting to read too much between the lines, but one would think it highly unlikely that they would be targets or considered targets by Palestinian gunmen. As I say, this is a road where there has been attacks on settlers in the past. And it could well come to be that this was a case, a tragic case, if you like, of mistaken identity. Bill.

HEMMER: You got it. We will hold fire until we learn more there on the ground. Michael Holmes, thanks. Evening in Jerusalem, a lot going on there in the Middle East today.

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