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CNN Live Today

Niece of Israeli Ambassador to U.N. Killed in Attack

Aired April 10, 2002 - 13:52   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: All morning we have been talking about the recent suicide bombing in Haifa, the port city there in Israel. We have word now that the niece of Israel's ambassador to the U.N. was among those killed in the Haifa suicide bombing. Our Richard Roth is at the U.N. and has more details for us -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. All of the speeches here, all the debate over months and years, sometimes there is a bit of a distance between diplomats and the violence that goes on in the Middle East.

Today it hit home here for the Israel's ambassador Yahouda Langree (ph) . His 18-year-old niece was killed in the latest suicide bus bombing in Israel. His daughter, Noa Shlomo, who lived in Naharia, north of Haifa, was traveling from home to Jerusalem. She was killed. Just starting her army service in Israel.

The Israeli ambassador has left New York, planning to go back to Israel on a flight. For the ambassador another difficult moment. His father just died about a month ago. Here at the U.N. moments ago I asked the Palestinian representative here, Nasser Al-Kidwa, who is friends with the Israeli ambassador, for his reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NASSER AL-KIDWA, PALESTINIAN REPRESENTATIVE TO U.N.: (OFF-MIKE) my condolences to Ambassador Langree as a professional and as a colleague here at the United Nations. The Palestinian side has always been against any targeting of civilians on both sides. This is of course outrageous. The fact that Palestinian side was subject to the more brutal attacks does not limit our basic position of being against any loss of civilians on both sides.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Just to clarify here, that's the niece of Ambassador Langree of Israel who died in the bus bombing. The woman was the daughter of the ambassador's sister here at the U.N. In fact there will be no debate any further today due to the events in Madrid. Meanwhile, the ambassador is flying back home -- Carol (sic).

PHILLIPS: Richard, any information with regard to if the suicide bomber had intel that she was on this bus and it sort of leads to the question that I have about, you can't help but wonder if these suicide bombers are starting to target what they are wanting to blow up versus random violence.

ROTH: Well, no information here. I would think unlikely that a suicide bomber, as we have seen in the past, would know who -- on a public bus -- would be present. Presumably she might have been in army gear or uniform. But other than that, I don't think anyone would know at that level the relatives or whatever. But of course tactics could change. But right now, that's not suspected as far as I know.

PHILLIPS: Richard Roth live from the U.N. Thank you very much.

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