Ben Yehuda Street Bombing
Encyclopedia
The Ben Yehuda Street bombings refer to a series of attacks by Palestinians and suicide bombers
on civilians in downtown Jerusalem, Israel
in 1948. The attacks were carried out on Ben Yehuda Street
, a major thoroughfare, later a pedestrian mall
, named for the founder of modern Hebrew, Eliezer Ben Yehuda.
A statement issued by the Arab High Command the following day claimed full responsibility and said the explosions were in retaliation for an Irgun bomb attack in Ramla
. ‘Unless the Jews adhere to the rules of war, we shall continue indiscriminate reprisals on a bigger scale.’ said the communique. In Damascus Arab political officials also said that the explosion was the work of Arabs.
On Friday, July 4, 1975, a refrigerator
that had five kilograms of explosives packed into its sides exploded on Zion Square
, a main square leading to Ben Yehuda Street and Jaffa Road
. Fifteen people were killed and 77 injured in the attack. Ahmad el-Sukar, who was responsible for placing the bomb, was released from Israeli prison in 2003 as a gesture to Arafat
.
On November 13, 1975, an explosive charge went off near Cafe Naveh on Jaffa Road, near the pedestrian mall. Seven people were killed and 45 injured.
, the municipality organized an event at the site of the attack, under the slogan: "Nevertheless."
On March 24, 1979, one person was killed and 13 people were injured when an explosive charge blew up in a trash can in Zion Square.
suicide bombers
simultaneously blew themselves up on the pedestrian mall, killing 5 Israelis. The bombing was carried out by Palestinians from the village of Asira al-shamaliye.
Three 14-year old girls were killed in the attack: Sivann Zarka, Yael Botvin and Smadar Elhanan. Elhanan was the daughter of peace activist Nurit Peled-Elhanan
and the granddaughter of Israeli general and politician Mattityahu Peled
. After her death Smadar's parents co-founded Bereaved Families for Peace
.
The family of Yael Botvin, a U.S. citizen, filed a lawsuit in the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
A default judgment
of $251 million in compensatory and punitive damages was awarded to the relatives of Americans killed in the attack. There were few assets of the Iranian government in the United States following the judgment. The plaintiffs threatened to seize valuable Persian artifacts located in Chicago
museums and sell them for proceeds, leading to the Chicago's Persian heritage crisis
, as well as suing the account of the Bank Melli Iran
in the Bank of New York
, but having the United States Department of Justice speak as amicus curiae
in support of Bank Melli, advising that the bank had no responsibility for turning the funds over, resulted in a ruling against the students.
detonated themselves on Ben Yehuda Street, followed by a car bomb set to go off as paramedics arrived. Eighteen people were killed, including many children, and 188 were injured. Hamas claimed responsibility, stating that it was in retaliation for the killing of senior Hamas
militant Mahmud Abu Hanoud. A Hamas spokesman in Gaza stated that these bombings did not assuage its lust for vengeance and that it would carry out further bombings.
Suicide Bombers
Suicide Bombers is the name of a 2005 EP by Leæther Strip. For the Australian hardcore band see Suicide Bombers -Track listing:# Suicide Bombers# Suicide Bombers # The Shame Of A Nation # This Is Where I Wanna Be...
on civilians in downtown Jerusalem, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1948. The attacks were carried out on Ben Yehuda Street
Ben Yehuda Street
Ben Yehuda Street , known as the "Midrachov" is a major street in downtown Jerusalem, Israel. It is now a pedestrian mall and closed to vehicular traffic. The street runs from the intersection of King George Street to Zion Square and Jaffa Road...
, a major thoroughfare, later a pedestrian mall
Pedestrian mall
Pedestrian malls in the United States are also known as pedestrian streets and are the most common form of pedestrian zone in large cities in the United States. It is a street lined with storefronts and closed off to most automobile traffic...
, named for the founder of modern Hebrew, Eliezer Ben Yehuda.
1948 bombing
On February 22, 1948, three British Army trucks led by an armoured car driven by Arab irregulars and British deserters exploded on Ben Yehuda Street killing 58 Jewish civilians and injuring 140.A statement issued by the Arab High Command the following day claimed full responsibility and said the explosions were in retaliation for an Irgun bomb attack in Ramla
Ramla
Ramla , is a city in central Israel. The city is predominantly Jewish with a significant Arab minority. Ramla was founded circa 705–715 AD by the Umayyad Caliph Suleiman ibn Abed al-Malik after the Arab conquest of the region...
. ‘Unless the Jews adhere to the rules of war, we shall continue indiscriminate reprisals on a bigger scale.’ said the communique. In Damascus Arab political officials also said that the explosion was the work of Arabs.
On Friday, July 4, 1975, a refrigerator
Zion Square refrigerator bombing
The Zion Square refrigerator bombing was a terrorist attack in downtown Jerusalem, Israel on Friday, July 4, 1975 in which 15 civilians were killed and 77 wounded.-The attack:...
that had five kilograms of explosives packed into its sides exploded on Zion Square
Zion Square
Zion Square is a public square at the east end of the Ben Yehuda Street Pedestrian Mall in downtown Jerusalem. It abuts Jaffa Road, Herbert Samuel Street and Yoel Moshe Salomon Street as well....
, a main square leading to Ben Yehuda Street and Jaffa Road
Jaffa Road
Jaffa Road is one of the longest and oldest streets in Jerusalem. It crosses the city from east to west, from the Old City walls to downtown Jerusalem, the western portal of Jerusalem and the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway. It is lined with shops, businesses and restaurants...
. Fifteen people were killed and 77 injured in the attack. Ahmad el-Sukar, who was responsible for placing the bomb, was released from Israeli prison in 2003 as a gesture to Arafat
Arafat
Arafat is a surname or given name, and may refer to:* Yasser Arafat , Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority * Fathi Arafat , Palestinian physician...
.
On November 13, 1975, an explosive charge went off near Cafe Naveh on Jaffa Road, near the pedestrian mall. Seven people were killed and 45 injured.
1976 bombing
On May 3, 1976, Thirty-three passers-by were injured when a booby-trapped motor scooter exploded at the corner of Ben Yehuda and Ben Hillel Streets. Among those injured was the Greek consul in Jerusalem and his wife. The following day, on the eve of Independence DayYom Ha'atzmaut
Yom Ha'atzmaut commemorates Israel's declaration of Independence in 1948. It is celebrated on 5 Iyar according to the Hebrew calendar. Yom Ha'atzmaut is preceded by Yom Hazikaron, the Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day.-History:...
, the municipality organized an event at the site of the attack, under the slogan: "Nevertheless."
1979 bombings
On January 1, 1979, a car bomb was found opposite Cafe Atara on the pedestrian mall and was neutralized about half an hour before it was to have blown up.On March 24, 1979, one person was killed and 13 people were injured when an explosive charge blew up in a trash can in Zion Square.
1997 bombing
On September 4, 1997, three HamasHamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
suicide bombers
Suicide Bombers
Suicide Bombers is the name of a 2005 EP by Leæther Strip. For the Australian hardcore band see Suicide Bombers -Track listing:# Suicide Bombers# Suicide Bombers # The Shame Of A Nation # This Is Where I Wanna Be...
simultaneously blew themselves up on the pedestrian mall, killing 5 Israelis. The bombing was carried out by Palestinians from the village of Asira al-shamaliye.
Three 14-year old girls were killed in the attack: Sivann Zarka, Yael Botvin and Smadar Elhanan. Elhanan was the daughter of peace activist Nurit Peled-Elhanan
Nurit Peled-Elhanan
Nurit Peled-Elhanan is a Professor of language and education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, an Israeli peace activist, and one of the founders of the Bereaved Families for Peace...
and the granddaughter of Israeli general and politician Mattityahu Peled
Mattityahu Peled
Mattityahu "Matti" Peled was a well-known Israeli public figure who was at various periods of his life a professional military man who reached the rank of Aluf in the IDF and was a member of the General Staff during the Six Day War of 1967; a notable scholar who headed the Arabic Language and...
. After her death Smadar's parents co-founded Bereaved Families for Peace
The Parents Circle-Families Forum
The Parents Circle-Families Forum is a grassroots organization of Palestinian and Israeli families who have lost immediate family members due to the conflict...
.
The family of Yael Botvin, a U.S. citizen, filed a lawsuit in the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
A default judgment
Default judgment
Default judgment is a binding judgment in favor of either party based on some failure to take action by the other party. Most often, it is a judgment in favor of a plaintiff when the defendant has not responded to a summons or has failed to appear before a court of law...
of $251 million in compensatory and punitive damages was awarded to the relatives of Americans killed in the attack. There were few assets of the Iranian government in the United States following the judgment. The plaintiffs threatened to seize valuable Persian artifacts located in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
museums and sell them for proceeds, leading to the Chicago's Persian heritage crisis
Chicago's Persian heritage crisis
Chicago's Persian heritage crisis refers to a threat to seize invaluable Persian antiquities kept at the University of Chicago by the United States federal courts and also a threat to numerous other Persian antiquities kept in the Field Museum in Chicago...
, as well as suing the account of the Bank Melli Iran
Bank Melli Iran
Bank Melli Iran , also called the National Bank of Iran, is the first national Iranian bank. The bank was established in 1927 by the order of the Majlis and since then has consistently been one of the most influential Iranian banks.In 1931 the Iranian Majlis authorized the bank to print and...
in the Bank of New York
Bank of New York
The Bank of New York was a global financial services company established in 1784 by the American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. It existed until its merger with the Mellon Financial Corporation on July 2, 2007...
, but having the United States Department of Justice speak as amicus curiae
Amicus curiae
An amicus curiae is someone, not a party to a case, who volunteers to offer information to assist a court in deciding a matter before it...
in support of Bank Melli, advising that the bank had no responsibility for turning the funds over, resulted in a ruling against the students.
2001 bombing
On December 1, 2001 two suicide bombersSuicide Bombers
Suicide Bombers is the name of a 2005 EP by Leæther Strip. For the Australian hardcore band see Suicide Bombers -Track listing:# Suicide Bombers# Suicide Bombers # The Shame Of A Nation # This Is Where I Wanna Be...
detonated themselves on Ben Yehuda Street, followed by a car bomb set to go off as paramedics arrived. Eighteen people were killed, including many children, and 188 were injured. Hamas claimed responsibility, stating that it was in retaliation for the killing of senior Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
militant Mahmud Abu Hanoud. A Hamas spokesman in Gaza stated that these bombings did not assuage its lust for vengeance and that it would carry out further bombings.
Other attacks
- September 8, 1971: A grenade was thrown into the entrance of Cafe Alno on Ben Yehuda Street. The grenade did not explode and there were no injuries.
- December 12, 1974: An explosive device went off in Ben Yehuda Street. Thirteen people were injured lightly to moderately.
- April 9, 1976: A car bomb was dismantled on Ben Yehuda Street shortly before it was to have exploded.
- May 2, 1981: A police sapper was moderately injured by an explosive charge that had been placed in a trash can near Cafe Alno.
- August 15, 1984: A car bomb was discovered on Ben Yehuda Street and defused about 10 minutes before it was to have exploded. In the car were about 12 kilograms of explosives and another three kilograms of iron nails.
External links
- Suicide bombing at the Ben-Yehuda pedestrian mall in Jerusalem - December 1, 2001
- Mandate Period Bombing
- Ben Yehuda Street Bombing
- http://www.jerusalem-archives.org/period4/4-10.html