Matzuva attack
Encyclopedia
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 grenade
s at vehicles traveling on the Shlomi-Matzuva
road, killing six Israelis and injuring one.
; 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 grenade
s 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.
.
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.
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
assault by the Islamic Jihad
Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine
The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine known in the West as simply Palestinian Islamic Jihad , is a small Palestinian militant organization. The group has been labelled as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and Israel...
on March 12, 2002. Two Islamic Jihad militants whom infiltrated to Israel from Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
fired small arms
Small arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
and threw hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s at vehicles traveling on the Shlomi-Matzuva
Matzuva
Matzuva , also known as Matzuba, is a kibbutz in the Western Galilee in northern Israel. Located south of the development town of Shlomi, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Asher Regional Council. In 2011 it had a population of 600....
road, killing six Israelis and injuring one.
The attack
On March 12, 2002 two Islamic Jihad militants infiltrated to Israel from LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
; 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
Shlomi
Shlomi or Shelomi can refer to:* Shlomi - the Hebrew name "שלומי" or "שלמי"* Shlomi, Israel - a development town in Israel* Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi - an Israeli film* Shlomi Arbeitman - an Israeli professional footballer...
-Matzuva
Matzuva
Matzuva , also known as Matzuba, is a kibbutz in the Western Galilee in northern Israel. Located south of the development town of Shlomi, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Asher Regional Council. In 2011 it had a population of 600....
road, and began firing small arms
Small arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
and throwing hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s 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
Matzuva
Matzuva , also known as Matzuba, is a kibbutz in the Western Galilee in northern Israel. Located south of the development town of Shlomi, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Asher Regional Council. In 2011 it had a population of 600....
was injured.
Both of the militants were killed in battle with the Israeli security forces.
Fatalities
|
Beit Hashita Beit HaShita is a kibbutz between Afula and Beit She'an, Israel founded on 4 December 1928 by members of "Kvuzat HaHugim" and members of "Tnuat HaMahanot HaOlim" from Haifa and Jerusalem. The kibbutz was named after the biblical town of the same name, where the Midianites fled after being beaten... Betzet Betzet is a moshav in the Western Galilee in northern Israel. It belongs to the Mateh Asher Regional Council. It is part of the Moshavim Movement, and is located next to the cities Shlomi and Nahariya.... Hanita Hanita is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the western Galilee approximately 15 kilometres northeast of Nahariya, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Asher Regional Council. In 2011 it had a population of 500.... |
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 LebanonBlue Line (Lebanon)
The Blue Line is a border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel published by the United Nations on 7 June 2000 for the purposes of determining whether Israel had fully withdrawn from Lebanon...
.
In 2004 the Islamic Jihad
Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine
The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine known in the West as simply Palestinian Islamic Jihad , is a small Palestinian militant organization. The group has been labelled as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and Israel...
took responsibility for the attack. In May 2006 Mahmoud al-Majzoub
Mahmoud al-Majzoub
Mahmoud al-Majzoub also known as Abu Hamza was a leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. He was wounded in a car bomb blast in Sidon on May 25, 2006 and died the next day. His brother Nidal al-Majzoub also died in the explosion...
, the leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad at that time, exploded in his car in Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
. Apparently the explosion occurred in response to the 2002 Matzuva attack. Israel has not taken responsibility for the killing of al-Majzoub.
External links
- MIDEAST TURMOIL: LEBANON FRONT; Fatal Attack Shatters Israeli Border Town's Calm - published in The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
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