Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

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

Aired April 10, 2002 - 14:01   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin, once again, in the Middle East, where today's attack on a crowded bus near Haifa is giving Israel some new ammunition in its diplomatic struggle with friends and foes abroad. CNN's John Vause joins us again from Jerusalem -- John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hi, Kyra. We're getting some more details about the victims of the people who were on that bus. We're being told that the niece of Israel's ambassador to the U.N., Yehuda Lancry. She's 18 years old. She was on her way to Jerusalem. She was starting her military service. She is among the eight who were killed when that blast exploded. A massive explosion on that bus, by all accounts, raising it several feet in the air before it came crashing down.

We're being told that there were, in fact, a number of soldiers on that bus at the same time. It was packed with commuters. It was a commuter bus. The explosion happened during rush hour, around 7:15 this morning local time. According to the Israeli authorities here, they believe the suicide bomber boarded the bus at the first stop. About 15 minutes later he set off the explosives.

He sat in the third seat behind the driver. And they know that because that's where there's a huge hole in the roof of the bus. And of course, all of this happening, this suicide bombing, against the backdrop of ongoing diplomatic talks.

Right now here in Jerusalem, Palestinian negotiators are meeting with the U.S. envoy here, Anthony Zinni. They met earlier today with Yasser Arafat. That's a very significant meeting, because the Israelis actually allowed them to meet with the Palestinian leader. That was his first face-to-face contact since the tanks rolled into his Ramallah compound, almost two weeks ago.

We're also being told that the Israelis will allow Yasser Arafat to meet with the Secretary of State Colin Powell. They say they'll move the tanks back so the secretary of state can meet with Yasser Arafat in his compound in Ramallah -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: John, all these suicide bombings also happening under extra security. When we say "extra security," what exactly does that mean? We talked a little about that before and didn't get really into it. What's happening?

VAUSE: A lot of security on the streets here, Kyra. It's fairly normal to see Israeli soldiers on the streets, as well as security and private security guards at shopping malls. But what they're doing is those shopping malls, for example, have two or three security guards instead of one. They check IDs, they check bags. Whenever you walk into a hotel, they ask you for your identification cards. Everywhere you go, they stop and they check.

In the Passover, for example, an extra 10,000 soldiers were put on the streets. Soldiers, and police as well, to try and catch these suicide bombers, the Islamic militants who wanted to attack the Israelis with the suicide bombs. We saw the example of that on April 1st, when a police officer stopped a suicide bomber in the line which divides east and west Jerusalem. He was stopped at a checkpoint by a police officer. The blast detonated, killing the police officer as well.

There's been very much heightened security. Long lines at the checkpoints, as people make their way across the territories from the West Bank into Israel. Also in Gaza, that border is pretty much closed now to Palestinians. If you want to cross into Gaza, it's a very long delay to get over there. They're basically closed to Palestinians.

If you want to get to Jericho, for example, which is a Palestinian-controlled town, you stop at a checkpoint, they check your ID, they check the trunk of the car. They make sure there's nothing suspicious, and then they let you go. Security is very, very tight. But still, these suicide bombings continue.

PHILLIPS: John Vause with the latest from Jerusalem, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com