Yeshivat Beit Yisrael bombing
c. 19:00 pm (GMT+2)
A Palestinian suicide bombing occurred in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood in downtown Jerusalem on March 2, 2002.[1] Eleven Israeli civilians were killed in the attack, including two infants, three children and two teenagers. Over 50 people were injured in the attack, four of them critically. The bombing took place at the entrance of the Haredi yeshiva "Beit Yisrael" in central Jerusalem where people had gathered for a bar mitzvah celebration. The suicide bomber detonated the bomb full of shrapnel alongside a group of women with their baby strollers, waiting for the services in a nearby synagogue to conclude. The Palestinian militant organization al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack.[2][3][4][5]
The attack
The bombing took place on Saturday evening in the Haredi Beit Yisrael neighborhood of Jerusalem, a neighborhood that had been targeted in three previous attacks.
Shortly after 7 PM, the streets were crowded with worshippers who had just finished the sun-down prayers that mark the conclusion of the Shabbat. People had gathered near the Mahane Yisrael yeshiva for the bar mitzvah of Naveh Hazan. Another family, the Hajabis, were also celebrating their son's bar mitzvah, and members of the related Nehmad and Ilan families had arrived in Jerusalem for the celebration.[6][2][3] Upwards of 1,000 Jews prayed every Saturday evening at the Mahane Israel seminary.
The bomber was standing alongside a group of women with baby carriages who were waiting for their husbands to return from the synagogue, and blew himself up just as the family and guests were beginning to leave. The ensuing blast shook downtown Jerusalem, and ignited a nearby car. Among the dead were an infant and her six-year-old brother, a mother and her three-year-old son, and a 12-year-old boy. The dead included members of the Hajabi, Hazan, Nehmad, and Ilan families. A woman who was pregnant with twins survived but lost both of her unborn children.[citation needed] Two babies were taken to Hadassah Medical Center, the whereabouts of their parents unknown.[6][2][4]
The bombing occurred only meters from the site of a previous car bombing the year before. At the Mahane Yisrael seminary, a stone wall was splattered in blood.
Shlomi, an eyewitness, saw a baby carriage alongside a dead baby and other dead people. Another witness said that she and everyone else in her family had been injured when the bomber attacked:
I was speaking with everyone and when I turned around I saw people flying in the air. My brother fell onto me. I didn't know if my brother was wounded or the blood of other wounded people was on him. All I felt was pain.
Eitan of the Magen David Adom recounted:
We arrived at the site and saw scenes of horror. Young children, old people, women, lying in the road without hands, without legs, blood everywhere and enormous destruction all about. Only some had the strength to scream or cry. The quiet was the thing I remember most... This was one of the worst attacks I can remember.
Livnat, the sister of Sofia Ya'arit Eliyahu who died in the blast with her seven-month-old son, described her experience:
On Saturday night, we went out for a walk with two baby carriages. Sofia's baby started crying and she bent down to pick him up, while I continued walking with her little girl. We were 10 meters from them when we heard a horrendous explosion ... I looked back and saw only a huge inferno. Sofia and the baby had disappeared." [6][2][7]
Fatalities
Ten people were killed instantly in the attack, and an eleventh died later of his injuries. 8 of those fatilaies were from the Nehmad family.[8] Over 50 people were injured.[9]
Perpetrators
The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, claimed responsibility and said the attack was to avenge the deaths of 19 Palestinians killed during Israeli military incursions into the Balata and Jenin refugee camps earlier in the week. The bomber was identified as 19-year-old Mohammed al-Chouhani from the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem. Around 1,500 Palestinians celebrated through the camp handing out sweets and shooting in the air.[10]
Official reactions
Involved parties
- Hundreds of Palestinians celebrated on hearing the news and took to the streets firing guns into the air.[3]
International
The US State Department harshly condemned this "terrorist outrage". "Such murder of innocent citizens cannot be justified and can only harm the interests and aspirations of the Palestinian people in progress toward a better future ... We call upon Chairman Arafat and the Palestinian Authority to do everything possible to confront and stop the terrorists responsible for these criminal acts."[2][4][11]
Supranational
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson expressed her shock and horror and said, "Acts of suicide bombings in Israel harm the interests and aspirations of the Palestinian people because they undermine support for the cause of self-determination and the fight against occupation."[11]
Burials
The Nehamad family were buried in Rishon Letzion. The Israeli Health Minister, Nissim Dahan, said of the dead: "They cut off the most beautiful flowers before their time was due." The eulogies expressed feelings of bitterness and anger.[12] Sofia Ya'arit Eliyahu, 23, and her seven-month-old son, Avraham Eliyahu were buried at Moshav Noam.[7]
External links
- Suicide bombing in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood in Jerusalem, 2 March 2002 – published at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- In Jerusalem, Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 9 – published on 3 March 2002 in the New York Times
- UN rights chief Robinson says shocked by Jerusalem bombing – published on 4 March 2002 in Ha'aretz
See also
References
- ^ Dronzina, T.; Houdaigui, R.E. (2012). Contemporary Suicide Terrorism: Origins, Trends and Ways of Tackling It. IOS Press. p. 63. ISBN 9781614991090. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e "9 dead, 51 hurt in Jerusalem bombing". Haaretz. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Focus / Jerusalem's soft underbelly". Haaretz. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
- ^ a b c Bennet, James (3 March 2002). "In Jerusalem, Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 9". New York Times. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
- ^ Hermann, Peter (3 March 2002). "Sixteen Israelis killed in two attacks ; West Bank shooting, Jerusalem bombing injure more than 50". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
- ^ a b c "Suicide bombing in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood in Jerusalem - 2-Mar-2002". MFA. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
- ^ a b "Mother and infant son laid to rest". Haaretz. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
- ^ "The Nehmad Family Buries Their Eighth Victim". Haaretz.
- ^ "Significant Terrorist Incidents, 1961-2003: A Brief Chronology". irp.fas.org.
- ^ "Israel rocked by Palestinian attacks". BBC. March 3, 2002.
- ^ a b "UN rights chief Robinson says shocked by Jerusalem bombing". Haaretz. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
- ^ "Seven funerals for the Nehmad family". Haaretz. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
- v
- t
- e
- 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)
- 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)
- 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 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Eilat bombing (January 29)
- Nahal Telem shooting (December 28)
- Dimona bombing (February 4)
- Jerusalem yeshiva attack (March 6)
- Jerusalem bulldozer attack (July 2)
- Jerusalem BMW attack (September 22)
- Bat Ayin axe attack (April 2)
- Killing of Rabbi Meir Hai (December 24)
‡ indicates the terrorist attack which caused the greatest amount of Israeli casualties during the 2000s
1990s 2010s31°47′19″N 35°13′20″E / 31.7887°N 35.2223°E / 31.7887; 35.2223