Liberty Bell Park bus bombing

Suicide terror attack

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Location of Jerusalem

Native nameהפיגוע בקו 14אLocationJerusalemDateFebruary 22, 2004; 20 years ago (2004-02-22)
c. 8:30 am (GMT+2)

Attack type

Suicide bombingDeaths8 Israeli civilians (+1 bomber)Injured60 Israeli civiliansPerpetratorAl-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility

The Liberty Bell Park bus bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on February 22, 2004 in Egged bus No. 14A in Jerusalem. Eight passengers were killed in the attack and over 60 people were injured, many of them were children on their way to school. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack.^[1]

The attack

On Sunday, February 22, 2004, during the morning rush hour, a Palestinian suicide bomber got on the 14a bus traveling to downtown Jerusalem. The suicide bomber had an explosive device hidden in a backpack which was stuffed with metal scraps to maximize casualties.^[2] Police believe he boarded the bus in the Talpiot industrial zone.^[3]

The suicide bomber waited for the bus to fill up with passengers. At approximately 8:30 am, as the bus passed Liberty Bell park on the edge of Emek Refaim, the main street of the German Colony, he detonated the explosive device.^[4]

Eight people were killed in the attack and more than 60 people were injured, 11 of whom were schoolchildren.^[5]

The perpetrator

The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack and stated that the attacker was 23-year-old Mohammed Zaul from the village of Husan in the West Bank.^[6] After the attack a video of the suicide bomber was released in which Zaul claimed he carried out the attack in revenge "for the massacre perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinians."^[7]

Official reactions

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom condemned the attack, citing it as proof that the Israeli West Bank barrier was justified and imperative to prevent such incidents from recurring.^{[citation needed]}

Palestinian National Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia condemned the attack and stated that it gave Israel an excuse to continue building the West Bank barrier.^[8]

References

^ "CNN.com - Transcripts". Retrieved December 14, 2014.
^ "Bomber Kills 8, Self On Bus In Jerusalem". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 16, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
^ Suicide bombing of Egged bus no. 14A in Jerusalem
^ "USATODAY.com - At least 8 die in Israel bus blast". USA Today. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
^ "Suicide bombing of Egged bus no. 14A in Jerusalem". Archived from the original on April 23, 2004.
^ "Jerusalem Bus Bombing Kills 8, Wounds 59 (washingtonpost.com)". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
^ Ynet, כתבי (February 22, 2004). "ynet למרות הפיגוע: לא צפויה תגובה חריפה מצד ישראל - חדשות". ynet. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
^ "Newsday - The Long Island and New York City News Source". Retrieved December 14, 2014.

External links

Suicide bombing of Egged bus no. 14A in Jerusalem - published at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
At least 8 die in Israel bus blast - published on USA Today on February 22, 2004
Jerusalem suicide bomber kills eight Archived 2012-11-07 at the Wayback Machine - published on the Jerusalem Post on February 23, 2004
Jerusalem Suicide Blast Kills 8 - published on CBS News on February 23, 2004

Prominent terrorist attacks against Israelis in the history of the Arab–Israeli conflict – the 2000s

2001

Murder of Ofir Rahum (January 17)
Azor attack (February 14)
Netanya bombing (March 4)
Murder of Shalhevet Pass (March 26)
Murders of Koby Mandell and Yosef Ishran (May 8)
1st HaSharon Mall bombing (May 18)
Dolphinarium discotheque massacre (June 1)
Killing of Yehuda Shoham (June 5)
Binyamina train station bombing (July 16)
Sbarro restaurant bombing (August 9)
Nahariya train station bombing (September 9)
Assassination of Rehavam Ze'evi (October 17)
Camp 80 junction bus attack (November 29)
Ben Yehuda Street Bombings (December 1)
Haifa bus bombing (December 2)
Immanuel bus attack (December 12)

2002

Hadera attack (January 18)
Tel Aviv outdoor mall bombing (January 25)
Jaffa Street bombing (January 27)
Karnei Shomron Mall bombing (February 16)
Ein 'Arik checkpoint attack (February 19)
Yeshivat Beit Yisrael bombing (March 2)
Wadi al-Haramiya sniper attack (March 3)
Seafood Market attack (March 5)
Café Moment bombing (March 9)
Matzuva attack (March 12)
Egged bus 823 bombing (March 20)
King George Street bombing (March 21)
Passover massacre (March 27) ‡
Kiryat HaYovel supermarket bombing (March 29)
Matza restaurant bombing (March 31)
Yagur Junction bombing (April 10)
Mahane Yehuda bombing (April 12)
Adora attack (April 27)
Rishon LeZion bombing (May 7)
Netanya Market bombing (May 19)
Pi Glilot bombing attempt (May 23)
Megiddo Junction bus bombing (June 5)
Herzliya bombing (June 11)
Patt Junction bus bombing (June 18)
French Hill bombing (June 19)
Itamar attack (June 20)
Los Angeles Airport shooting (July 4)
Immanuel bus attack (July 16)
Neve Shaanan Street bombing (July 17)
Hebrew University bombing (July 31)
Meron Junction bus attack (August 4)
Allenby Street bus bombing (September 19)
Karkur junction bombing (October 21)
Sonol gas station bombing (October 27)
Metzer attack (November 10)
Kiryat Menachem bus bombing (November 21)
Mombasa attacks (November 28)
Beit She'an attack (November 28)
Yeshivat Otniel shooting (December 27)

2003

Tel Aviv central bus station massacre (January 5)
Haifa bus bombing (March 5)
Mike's Place bombing (April 30)
French Hill bombings (May 18)
Afula mall bombing (May 19)
Davidka Square bus bombing (June 11)
Route 60 Hamas attack (June 20)
Murder of Oleg Shaichat (July 28)
Shmuel HaNavi bus bombing (August 19)
Tzrifin bus stop attack (September 9)
Café Hillel bombing (September 9)
Maxim restaurant bombing (October 4)
Geha Interchange bus stop bombing (December 25)

2004

2004 Erez Crossing bombing (January 14)
Gaza Street bus bombing (January 29)
Liberty Bell Park bus bombing (February 22)
Ashdod Port bombings (March 14)
Murder of the Hatuel family (May 2)
Tashkent embassy bombing (July 30)
Beersheba bus bombings (August 31)
Sinai bombings (October 7)
Carmel Market bombing (November 1)

2005

Karni border crossing attack (January 13)
Stage Club bombing (February 25)
2nd HaSharon Mall bombing (July 12)
Shfar'am attack (August 4)
Kidnapping and murder of Sasson Nuriel (September 21)
Hadera Market bombing (October 26)
3rd HaSharon Mall bombing (December 5)

2006

1st Rosh Ha'ir restaurant bombing (January 19)
Kedumim bombing (March 30)
2nd Rosh Ha'ir restaurant bombing (April 17)
Murder of Eliyahu Asheri (June 25)

2007

Eilat bombing (January 29)
Nahal Telem shooting (December 28)

2008

2009

Bat Ayin axe attack (April 2)
Killing of Rabbi Meir Hai (December 24)

Attacks launched from the West Bank Attacks launched from the Gaza Strip Attacks launched from Lebanon

‡ indicates the terrorist attack which caused the greatest amount of Israeli casualties during the 2000s

1990s

2010s

v t e Prominent Palestinian militancy attacks in the 2000s
Within Israel	Azor attack³ (February 14, 2001) Netanya bombing² (March 4, 2001) 1st HaSharon Mall entrance suicide bombing (May 18, 2001) Dolphinarium discotheque massacre² (June 1, 2001) Binyamina train station suicide bombing (July 16, 2001) Sbarro restaurant suicide bombing² (August 9, 2001) Nahariya train station suicide bombing (September 9, 2001) Camp 80 junction bus 823 attack (November 29, 2001) Ben Yehuda Street Bombings (December 1, 2001) Haifa bus 16 suicide bombing (December 2, 2001) Hadera attack (January 18, 2002) Tel Aviv outdoor mall bombing (January 25, 2002) Jaffa Street bombing (January 27, 2002) Karnei Shomron Mall suicide bombing (February 16, 2002) Yeshivat Beit Yisrael bombing (March 2, 2002) Seafood Market attack (March 5, 2002) Atzmona attack (March 7, 2002) Café Moment bombing (March 9, 2002) Matzuva attack¹ (March 12, 2002) Egged bus 823 bombing (March 20, 2002) King George Street bombing (March 21, 2002) Passover massacre (March 27, 2002) Kiryat HaYovel supermarket bombing (March 29, 2002) Matza restaurant suicide bombing (March 31, 2002) Yagur Junction bombing (April 10, 2002) Mahane Yehuda Market bombing (April 12, 2002) Rishon LeZion bombing (May 7, 2002) Netanya Market bombing (May 19, 2002) Pi Glilot bombing attempt (May 23, 2002) Megiddo Junction bus bombing (June 5, 2002) Herzliya shawarma restaurant bombing (June 11, 2002) Patt Junction bus bombing (June 18, 2002) Neve Shaanan Street bombing (July 17, 2002) Hebrew University bombing (July 31, 2002) Meron Junction Bus 361 attack (August 4, 2002) Allenby Street bus bombing (September 19, 2002) Karkur junction suicide bombing (October 21, 2002) Metzer attack (November 2, 2002) Kiryat Menachem bus bombing (November 21, 2002) Beit She'an attack (November 28, 2002) Tel Aviv central bus station massacre (January 5, 2003) Haifa bus 37 suicide bombing (March 5, 2003) Mike's Place suicide bombing (April 30, 2003) Jerusalem bombings (May 18, 2003) Afula mall bombing (May 19, 2003) Davidka Square bus bombing (June 11, 2003) Murder of Oleg Shaichat (July 28, 2003) Shmuel HaNavi bus bombing (August 19, 2003) Tzrifin bus stop attack (September 9, 2003) Café Hillel bombing (September 9, 2003) Maxim restaurant suicide bombing (October 4, 2003) Geha Interchange bus stop bombing (December 25, 2003) 2004 Erez Crossing bombing³ (January 14, 2004) Gaza Street bus bombing (January 29, 2004) Liberty Bell Park bus bombing (February 22, 2004) Ashdod Port bombings (March 14, 2004) Beersheba bus bombings (August 31, 2004) Carmel Market bombing (November 1, 2004) Karni border crossing attack (January 13, 2005) Stage Club bombing (February 25, 2005) 2nd HaSharon Mall entrance suicide bombing (July 12, 2005) Hadera Market bombing (October 26, 2005) 3rd HaSharon Mall entrance suicide bombing (December 5, 2005) 2nd Rosh Ha'ir restaurant bombing (April 17, 2006) Gaza cross-border raid² (June 25, 2006) Eilat bakery bombing (January 29, 2007) Dimona suicide bombing (February 4, 2008) Jerusalem yeshiva attack (March 6, 2008) Jerusalem bulldozer attack (July 2, 2008) Jerusalem BMW attack (September 22, 2008)
West Bank	Ramallah lynching (October 12, 2000) Murder of Ofir Rahum (January 17, 2001) Assassination of the Israeli Minister of Tourism Rehavam Ze'evi² (October 17, 2001) Murder of Shalhevet Pass (March 26, 2001) Palestinian fatal stoning attack (June 5, 2001) Immanuel bus attack (December 12, 2001) Ein 'Arik checkpoint attack (19 February 2002) Wadi al-Haramiya sniper attack (March 3, 2002) French Hill Junction suicide bombing (June 19, 2002) Itamar attack (June 20, 2002) Immanuel bus attack (July 16, 2002) Sonol gas station bombing (October 27, 2002) Hebron ambush (November 15, 2002) Yeshivat Otniel shooting (December 27, 2002) Kidnapping and murder of Sasson Nuriel (September 21, 2005) Kedumim bombing (March 30, 2006) Murder of Eliyahu Asheri (June 25, 2006) Nahal Telem shooting (December 28, 2007) Bat Ayin axe attack (April 2, 2009) Killing of Rabbi Meir Hai (December 24, 2009)
Gaza Strip	Kissufim tank ambush ‎(September 5, 2002) Murder of the Hatuel family (May 2, 2004) IDF outpost bombing attack (December 12, 2004)
Other countries	Sinai bombings (October 7, 2004)
¹ Attacks launched from Lebanon ² Attacks launched from the West Bank ³ Attacks launched from the Gaza Strip 1990s 2010s