Megiddo Junction bus bombing

Megiddo Junction bus bombing
Part of the Second Intifada militancy campaign
The attack site
Location	Israel
Coordinates	32°34′22″N 35°11′31″E / 32.57278°N 35.19194°E / 32.57278; 35.19194
Date	June 5, 2002 7:15 am (GMT+2)
Attack type	suicide bombing
Death(s)	13 Israeli soldiers and four civilians (+ 1 bomber)
Injured	43 Israelis (mostly soldiers)
Perpetrator(s)	Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility

The memorial built near the site of the attack in memory of the victims of the incident

The Megiddo Junction bus bombing was the suicide bombing of an Egged bus at Megiddo Junction in northern Israel on June 5, 2002. 17 people were killed in the attack and 43 people were injured.

The Palestinian Islamist militant organization Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack

On Wednesday, 5 June 2002, a Palestinian suicide bomber drove a Renault van loaded with dozens of kilograms of explosives to Highway 65. At Megiddo Junction, he approached Egged bus no. 830, filled with passengers, traveling from Tel Aviv to Tiberias. At 7:15 am, the bomber detonated the explosive device near the fuel tank of the bus, causing it to burst into flames.^[1] According to a member of the rescue crew, people were thrown out of the bus by the force of the bomb and rescuers could not board the vehicle immediately due to the extreme heat. ^[2]

The blast killed 13 Israeli soldiers and four civilians, and injured 43 passengers, most of them soldiers. ^[3]

Fatalities

Cpl. Liron Avitan, 19, of Hadera[4] Cpl. Avraham Barzilai, 19, of Netanya[5] Cpl. Dennis Blumin, 20, of Hadera[6] St.-Sgt. Eliran Buskila, 21, of Hadera[7] St.-Sgt. Zvi Gelberd, 20 of Hadera[8] Sgt. Violetta Hizgayev, 20, of Hadera[9] St.-Sgt. Ganadi Issakov, 21, of Hadera[10] Sgt. Sariel Katz, 21, of Netanya[11] Cpl. Vladimir Morari, 19, of Hadera[12]

Sgt. Yigal Nedipur, 22, of Netanya[13] Sgt. Dotan Reisel, 22, of Hadera[14] St.-Sgt. David Stanislavksy, 23, of Netanya[15] Sgt. Sivan Wiener, 19, of Holon[16] Zion Agmon, 50, of Hadera[17] Adi Dahan, 17, of Afula[18] Shimon Timsit, 35, of Tel-Aviv[19] Eliyahu Timsit, 32, of Sderot – was identified in December 2002[20]

The perpetrators

After the attack The Palestinian Islamist militant organization Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack and stated that the attack was carried out by a 18-year-old Palestinian named Hamza Samudi whom originated from Jenin and had taken driving lessons four days before the attack, especially for this mission.

Israeli retaliation

External links

• Suicide bombing at Megiddo junction - 5-Jun-2002 - published at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Israel bus attack kills 17 - published on BBC News on June 5, 2002
• Bomb Kills 17 Israeli Bus Passengers - published on Fox News on June 5, 2002
• Israel enters Jenin after suicide blast - published on BBC News on June 5, 2002
• The Armageddon bomb - published on The Economist on June 5, 2002

References

1. ^ Suicide bombing at Megiddo junction
2. ^ Israel bus attack kills 17, BBC
3. ^ Suicide bombing at Megiddo junction - 5-Jun-2002, MFA
4. ^ Cpl Liron Avitan
5. ^ Cpl Avraham Barzilai
6. ^ Cpl Dennis Blumin
7. ^ St-Sgt Eliran Buskila
8. ^ St-Sgt Zvi Gelberd
9. ^ Sgt Violetta Hizgayev
10. ^ St-Sgt Ganadi Issakov
11. ^ Sgt Sariel Katz
12. ^ Cpl Vladimir Morari
13. ^ Sergeant Yigal Nedipur, 22 - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News
14. ^ Sgt Dotan Reisel
15. ^ St-Sgt David Stanislavksy
16. ^ Sgt Sivan Wiener
17. ^ Zion Agmon
18. ^ Adi Dahan
19. ^ Shimon Timsit
20. ^ Eliyahu Timsit