JERUSALEM, Nov. 22 Kyodo A UN off...

JERUSALEM, Nov. 22 Kyodo

A UN official involved in reconstruction work in Palestinian territory was discharge to dead on Friday in the Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank city of Jenin, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugee in the Near East (UNRWA) said.

The UN official, who UNRWA officials believe was an Irish or British national, was hit at a stray bullet while she was inside the UN office in Jenin during a gunbattle between Israeli companys and Palestinian militants.

The official was in charge of the reconstruction of the Jenin refugee camp, which was devastateed by Israeli troops in a major attack they launched in April to crack down Palestinian militants.

Since then, Israeli throngs have conducted intermittent military operations inside the vast refugee camp.

The UNRWA Jerusalem office said the exact cause of the official's death was not known.

individual unconfirmed report said the UNRWA official was killed from a stray bullet in the gunfire between Israeli [i]troupe[/i]s and Palestinian militants.

There is also unconfirmed report that she was killed from Israeli troops while they were shooting at Palestinian children who were throwing stones at them.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo stranges International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group