Shawarma restaurant bombing
Encyclopedia
The 2002 Herzliya shawarma restaurant bombing took place on June 11, 2002 when a Palestinian
suicide bomber set off a bomb at the Jamil (Mifgash Ha'Sharon) restaurant in the Israeli beach suburb of Herzliya
. The event resulted in the death of one teenager, Hadar Hershkowitz, and the injury of 15 people. The attack led Israel to lodge a formal complaint with the UN security council, citing it as evidence for a "campaign of Palestinian terrorism" against Israeli civilians.
in the Shawarma
restaurant "Mifgash Ha'Sharon" (AKA "Jamil"), where about 30 people were sitting. The pipe bomb used in the attack was said to have been "relatively small." A rescue worker said that one of the explosive devices the bomber was wearing did not detonate. According to Israel, the explosives had been packed with nails and ball bearings. A 14-year-old girl was killed in the attack and 15 additional people were injured in the attack.
According to Israeli sources, earlier that day, three Israeli high school students were injured when Palestinian militants attacked their school bus. One student was seriously injured. That same day, a Palestinian militant stabbed an Israeli policeman in Jerusalem.
, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it was "in retaliation for the daily incursions by the occupation forces against the cities, towns, villages and refugee camps". The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades spokesman stated that the suicide bomber was a 30-year-old Palestinian named Omar Zayadeh whom originated from the Palestinian village of Ma'adama in the West Bank
.
According to Palestinian Media Watch
, an Israel-based media watchdog organization, in 2010 the Palestinian Authority built a monument honoring the bomber in the town square of the West Bank
town of Madama. The monument, in the form of a pyramid, features portraits of Yasser Arafat
and of the bomber. Below the bomber's portrait are the words, "The heroic Shahada – Seeker (Martyrdom- Seeker) Omar Muhammad Ziyada (Abu Samed) who carried out the heroic Herzliya operation on June 11, 2002."
Israel: David Baker, an official in Sharon's office, condemned the attack as "another example of the Palestinians' intention to commit murder for the sake of murder".
Palestinian territories:
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
suicide bomber set off a bomb at the Jamil (Mifgash Ha'Sharon) restaurant in the Israeli beach suburb of Herzliya
Herzliya
Herzliya is a city in the central coast of Israel, at the western part of the Tel Aviv District. It has a population of 87,000 residents. Named after Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, Herzliya covers an area of 26 km²...
. The event resulted in the death of one teenager, Hadar Hershkowitz, and the injury of 15 people. The attack led Israel to lodge a formal complaint with the UN security council, citing it as evidence for a "campaign of Palestinian terrorism" against Israeli civilians.
The attack
At about 7:30 PM, a Palestinian suicide bomber set off a pipe bombPipe bomb
A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device, a tightly sealed section of pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple low explosives can be used to produce a relatively large explosion, and the fragmentation of the pipe itself creates potentially...
in the Shawarma
Shawarma
Shawarma is a Levantine Arab sandwich-like wrap of shaved lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, beef, or mixed meats. The meat is placed on a spit, and may be grilled for as long as a day. It is eaten with pita bread, tabbouleh, fattoush, taboon bread, tomato and cucumber. Toppings include tahini, hummus,...
restaurant "Mifgash Ha'Sharon" (AKA "Jamil"), where about 30 people were sitting. The pipe bomb used in the attack was said to have been "relatively small." A rescue worker said that one of the explosive devices the bomber was wearing did not detonate. According to Israel, the explosives had been packed with nails and ball bearings. A 14-year-old girl was killed in the attack and 15 additional people were injured in the attack.
According to Israeli sources, earlier that day, three Israeli high school students were injured when Palestinian militants attacked their school bus. One student was seriously injured. That same day, a Palestinian militant stabbed an Israeli policeman in Jerusalem.
Fatalities
- Hadar Hershkowitz, 14, of HerzliyaHerzliyaHerzliya is a city in the central coast of Israel, at the western part of the Tel Aviv District. It has a population of 87,000 residents. Named after Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, Herzliya covers an area of 26 km²...
– the daughter of the director-general of the Hapoel Tel Aviv Football Club, Aryeh Hershkowitz. Hershkowitz was to have graduated form junior high school the next day, instead, it was the day of her funeral. She was brought to hospital in a very serious condition, and later died from her injuries.
The perpetrators
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a military wing of FatahFatah
Fataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it was "in retaliation for the daily incursions by the occupation forces against the cities, towns, villages and refugee camps". The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades spokesman stated that the suicide bomber was a 30-year-old Palestinian named Omar Zayadeh whom originated from the Palestinian village of Ma'adama in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
.
Aftermath
In 2003, Israeli troops demolished the home of bomber.According to Palestinian Media Watch
Palestinian Media Watch
Palestinian Media Watch is an Israel-based media watchdog organization. Established by Itamar Marcus in 1996, PMW monitors Palestinian Arabic media and schoolbooks....
, an Israel-based media watchdog organization, in 2010 the Palestinian Authority built a monument honoring the bomber in the town square of the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
town of Madama. The monument, in the form of a pyramid, features portraits of Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
and of the bomber. Below the bomber's portrait are the words, "The heroic Shahada – Seeker (Martyrdom- Seeker) Omar Muhammad Ziyada (Abu Samed) who carried out the heroic Herzliya operation on June 11, 2002."
Official reactions
Involved parties Israel: David Baker, an official in Sharon's office, condemned the attack as "another example of the Palestinians' intention to commit murder for the sake of murder". Palestinian territories:
- Palestinian National AuthorityPalestinian National AuthorityThe Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
: PA officials condemned the attack, stating it was wrong to attack innocent people on the street. In the statement, the authority said it would do its "utmost" to prevent future attacks. - Senior HamasHamasHamas 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...
officials said the attack is "a natural response to Israel's crimes in the territories."