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Breaking News

Suicide Bombing at Hotel in Israel

Aired March 27, 2002 - 12:41   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: Getting a report out of northern Israel, the town of Netanya -- that's a coastal town -- we're told a blast went off a short time ago.

CNN has confirmed an explosion went off at a hotel there, injuring a number of people, this according to hospital and police sources. The cause of blast not immediately known. But if you allow me for a moment here, the Associated Press reporting that explosion went off Wednesday evening in the coastal town of Netanya. The blast came at a time, we are told. We will put the map back up and show you the part of the Middle East we are talking about, the coastal town of Netanya, in the north there, off of the map, you see on the screen here.

We're told the blast came when Israelis were marking the start of the week-long Passover holiday. Many hotels catering certainly to Passover, the ritual holiday day meal there.

Let's get to Mike Hanna with more on this out of Netanya. What do you have?

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, various reports coming in that exactly what happened in this hotel in Netanya, police say that there was a major explosion. There are reported to be dozens of injuries, according to the reports that we are receiving.

Israel radio reports that the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber, this not yet confirmed by police, who say though that they are convinced it was a terrorist act.

So at this situation, what we have is dozens of people injured, according to police, in an explosion in a hotel in Netanya.

Now, Netanya is a town just north of Tel Aviv. It is very close to the West Bank, and has been the scene of a number of terror attacks in the past, the most recent one some 10 days ago, where a number of Israelis were killed by Palestinian gunmen. So this is yet another attack in Netanya, which as I said has been a frequent target of terror attacks. We are hearing at this moment dozens of casualties in the blast, no indication as to the number of the fatalities. The indication we have from police is that it was accord to police, that it was an act of terror, and Israel radio saying it was the work of a suicide bomber. This is the beginning of the Passover holiday. Many hotels having a banquet, marking the beginning of the Passover, the banquet which signals the beginning of this week-long holiday, so a very important Jewish holiday, and one in which the, basically, the country comes to a virtual standstill as the Passover is celebrated.

But no celebration at all in Netanya, a town north of Tel Aviv, with a massive explosion in a hotel in that town, dozens of casualties reported at this point. We are waiting to hear further details as they come in, Bill.

HEMMER: And, Mike, just trying to clear up the wires here as you were talking. Another report, this one Reuters apparently, much what you said, dozens of casualties hitting the town of Netanya. I am just looking for more information here, Mike, as we continue our discussion.

Tell us more about this area that is in discussion right now. We describe it as a coastal town, et cetera. What more could we shed like on this?

HANNA: Well, correct, I mean, Netanya is a coastal town. It's in the plains just north of Tel Aviv. It is as well a commuter town; many people live there and commute into Tel Aviv to work. It is a very busy town much of the time, and it has as I said. There have been a number of terror attacks carried out there in recent weeks, and in recent months. Many Israelis have lost their lives in these ongoing attacks.

The reason about why Netanya appears to be such a favored target for attack, well, because of its proximity to the West Bank, it is easy for people to infiltrate across that particular area into Netanya as appears to be the case at this particular point, Bill.

HEMMER: Mike Hanna, thanks, live in Jerusalem.

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