Matzuva attack

Matzuva attack
Part of the Second Intifada militancy campaign
The attack site
Location	Near kibbutz Matzuva, Israel
Coordinates	33°03′47.78″N 35°09′00.20″E / 33.0632722°N 35.150056°E / 33.0632722; 35.150056
Date	March 12, 2002
Attack type	Ambush, Shooting attack
Death(s)	6 Israelis (+ 2 attackers)
Injured	1 Israeli
Perpetrator(s)	Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility

The Matzuva attack was a guerrilla assault by the Islamic Jihad on March 12, 2002. Two Islamic Jihad militants whom infiltrated to Israel from Lebanon fired small arms and threw hand grenades at vehicles traveling on the Shlomi-Matzuva road, killing six Israelis and injuring one.^[1]

The attack

On March 12, 2002 two Islamic Jihad militants infiltrated to Israel from Lebanon; using a sophisticated ladder-like facility, they managed to cross over the border fence and infiltrate into Israel without being detected. After the militants reached a mountain overlooking the Shlomi-Matzuva road, and began firing small arms and throwing hand grenades at vehicles traveling on the road, including a civilian commuter bus.

During the attack five Israeli civilians and an Israeli army officer were killed and a member of Kibbutz Matzuva was injured.

Both of the militants were killed in battle with the Israeli security forces.

Fatalities

Lynne Livne, 49, of Kibbutz Hanita[2] Lt. German Rojyakov, 25, of Kiryat Shmona[3] Yehudit Cohen33, of Shlomi[4]

Alexei Kotman, 29, of Kibbutz Beit Hashita[5] Ofer Kanerik, 44, of Moshav Betzet[6] Atara Livne, 15, of Kibbutz Hanita[7]

The perpetrators

Initially Israeli intelligence officials declared that the attack was carried out by the Hezbollah, though Hezbollah did not confirm that the attack was carried out on their behalf and although the attack was contrary to the organization's official policy at the time; Following the signing of the trade agreement between Lebanon and the European Union in 2002, Hezbollah agreed not to commit any attacks across the international border between Israel and Lebanon.

In 2004 the Islamic Jihad took responsibility for the attack. In May 2006 Mahmoud al-Majzoub, the leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad at that time, exploded in his car in Sidon. Apparently the explosion occurred in response to the 2002 Matzuva attack. Israel has not taken responsibility for the killing of al-Majzoub.

References

1. ^ Greenberg, Joel (2002-03-14). "Fatal Attack Shatters Israeli Border Town's Calm". NYTimes.com. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30A13FE3B5D0C778DDDAA0894DA404482. Retrieved 2011-03-22. 
2. ^ Lynne Livne
3. ^ Lt German Rojyakov
4. ^ Yehudit Cohen<
5. ^ Alexei Kotman
6. ^ Ofer Kanerik
7. ^ Atara Livne

External links

• MIDEAST TURMOIL: LEBANON FRONT; Fatal Attack Shatters Israeli Border Town's Calm - published in The New York Times on March 14, 2002
• Mother, daughter from Kibbutz Hanita among ambush victims - published in the Jerusalem Post on March 13, 2002
• Terrorists slay 6 in Galilee attack. Area residents confined to homes - published in the Jerusalem Post on March 13, 2002