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American Morning
Interview with Bombing Victim Parents Chen, Lior Keinan
Aired May 31, 2002 - 09:12 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: When a suicide bomber blew himself up in an Israeli mall on Monday, he brought unspeakable grief to Chen Keinan and her husband Lior. Chen's mother was killed that day in Petah Tikva, so was their 15-month-old baby daughter, Sinai.
Chen Keinan and her husband Lior join us this morning from Tel Aviv.
Good morning, good of you to join us. And before we retrace those horrible steps of what happened, tell us how both of you are doing physically today -- Chen.
CHEN KEINAN, DAUGHTER AND MOTHER OF BOMBING VICTIMS: I have light wounds, but I don't want to waste our time talking about my physical condition, because my heart is bleeding. Please go to the next question.
ZAHN: I hesitate to go to the next question because I know this is so tough for you to relive this grief, but I know you allowed us to talk to you when you were in the hospital with your husband, and you made a point of sharing pictures of your mother who was slain, as well as pictures of your baby daughter, and I know you wanted to come talk to us today about both their legacies. Can you do that, Chen, or can you do that, Lior?
LIOR KEINAN, FATHER OF BOMBING VICTIM: Sure. I just want to say that in concerns of physical health, it's something which is not even in the scope. When a daughter of yours is blown away, when you go for a stroll because you wanted to come back earlier that day from work to be with her, because you missed her. And you probably recognize the baby card and that's -- that's the way she should -- she should be, and not like the pictures that I don't even want to show you again...
ZAHN: It is heartbreaking to look at this, but I -- carry on, Lior.
L. KEINAN: In every interview and whenever everybody ask me, I just want to plead with them to help us bring to an end the horrible situation that we have here, and even though I know that Sinai won't be the last baby and that next week won't be in any interview, I know that I can only ask for your help, and I know that the families of the September 11, security forces, and people who work there, can understand what I'm trying to say, and I'm just trying to bring my family back together and come out stronger from all this... ZAHN: I know, Chen, your grief is unimaginable. You lost your daughter, you lost your mother. Do you have faith that there will ever be any political solution in the region that might save other families the same grief you're suffering now?
C. KEINAN: Let me please say a few sentences uninterpreted, please, I ask of you. First of all, my beloved mommy, she blocked the bomb. The terrorist was two meters from me, and she was the only thing between us. My mommy. I came out nearly without a scratch.
She saved me, and I couldn't save my daughter, and I'm going to live with that for the rest of my life, and to the American people, I know you can understand us, but please understand that our babies are murdered on a daily basis, not once a year, not once every few months. On a daily basis, twice a day, three times a day, and our government's hands, I feel that they are tied. Our only friends are the Americans. Please help our nation. Please. Please.
ZAHN: Well, Chen Keinan and Lior, we know how tough it is to share your story with the public, and we offer our condolences, and our wish which matches yours as well, that families will never have to go again through what you are going through, but unfortunately the state of talk between leaders on both sides don't seem to indicate that might happen any time soon. Best of luck to your family, thank you very much for joining us this morning on AMERICAN MORNING.
C. KEINAN: Thank you.
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