2001 Immanuel bus attack

The 2001 Immanuel bus attack was an ambush attack by Palestinian militants targeting Israeli civilians on the West Bank on 12 December 2001. Eleven passengers were killed in the attack and 30 were injured.[1]

Not to be confused with 2002 Immanuel bus attack.

2001 Immanuel bus attack
Part of the Al-Aqsa Intifada militancy campaign

The attack site
LocationImmanuel, West Bank
Date12 December 2001 (2001-12-12)
Attack type
Ambush, Mass murder, spree killing, Bombing, Shooting attack
WeaponsAK-47 rifles, hand grenades, a roadside bomb
Deaths11 Israeli civilians (+1 attacker)
Injured30 Israeli civilians
Perpetratorsal-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades

The Palestinian Islamist militant organization al-Qassam Brigades[2] claimed responsibility for the attack.[3]

The attack

On 12 December 2001, three armed Palestinians militants planted a roadside bomb beside the road leading to the Jewish settlement of Immanuel. After placing two roadside bombs, the assailants ambushed a bus on its way from Bnei Brak.[4]

Soon after, a non-armoured[5] Dan bus line 189, en route to Immanuel from Bnei Brak, approached the site as two roadside bombs exploded.[4][6] The bus, which was greatly damaged in the explosions,[5] continued to drive several hundred meters until it was immobilized. Immediately after the bus was immobilized, one of the militants approached the bus, threw hand grenades into the bus, and fired small arms on the passengers of the bus and at the vehicles arriving at the site, while the passengers attempted to flee the bus.[5][6] The passengers of three other vehicles traveling on this road at that time were also affected.[7]

Shortly after, the three attackers fired on cars near the settlement and rescue workers trying to help the victims. One gunman was run over by an army jeep and then shot dead, but the others escaped. Palestinian officials identified the dead man as 21-year-old Asem Rihan, a Hamas member and student at Al Najah University in Nablus.[8]

11 people were killed in the attack and about 30 were injured.[9]

Fatalities
  • Yair Amar, 13, of Immanuel[10]
  • Esther Avraham, 42, of Immanuel[11]
  • Border Police Chief Warrant Officer Yoel Bienenfeld, 35, of Moshav Tel Shahar[12]
  • Moshe Gutman, 40, of Immanuel[13]
  • Avraham Nahman Nitzani, 17, of Betar Illit[14]
  • Yirmiyahu Salem, 48, of Immanuel[15]
  • Israel Sternberg, 46, of Immanuel[16]
  • David Tzarfati, 38, of Ginot Shomron[17]
  • Hananya Tzarfati, 32, of Kfar Saba[18]
  • Ya'akov Tzarfati, 64, of Kfar Saba[19]
  • Haim Chiprot, 52, of Immanuel – injured in the attack, died of his wounds on 25 March 2002.[20]

Official reactions
Involved parties

 Israel:

  • Israeli government spokesman Avi Pazner said, "We hold the Palestinian authorities responsible for the activities of these terrorist group who operate in full daylight and in the full knowledge of the Palestinian Authority and continue their deadly attacks against civilian men, women and children".[21]

 Palestinian territories:

See also

References
  1. Rubin, Barry; Rubin, Judith Colp (28 January 2015). Chronologies of Modern Terrorism. Routledge. ISBN 9781317474654.
  2. "1st Immanuel bus attack".
  3. Independent Newspapers Online. "Bus ambush brings carnage back to Israel". Independent Online. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  4. Terrorist attack on bus at Emmanuel - 12-Dec-2001
  5. Independent Newspapers Online. "Bus ambush brings carnage back to Israel". Independent Online. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  6. "מצב פצועים: הבוקר מאושפזים 27 פצועים, 3 קשה, 5 בינוני - וואלה! חדשות". וואלה! חדשות. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  7. "Ten dead, 30 wounded as Palestinians open fire on bus". CNN. 12 December 2001.
  8. "Palestinian Assault on Bus Kills 10; Israeli Response Is Swift". The New York Times. 13 December 2001.
  9. Terrorist attack on bus at Emmanuel - 12-Dec-2001
  10. "Yair Amar". GxMSDev. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  11. "Esther Avraham". GxMSDev. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  12. "Chief Warrant Officer Yoel Bienenfeld". GxMSDev. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  13. "Moshe Gutman". GxMSDev. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  14. "Avraham Nahman Nitzani". GxMSDev. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  15. "Yirmiyahu Salem". GxMSDev. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  16. "Israel Sternberg". GxMSDev. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  17. "David Tzarfati". GxMSDev. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  18. "Hananya Tzarfati". GxMSDev. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  19. "Ya-akov Tzarfati". GxMSDev. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  20. Haim Chiprot
  21. "New Straits Times - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  22. "Bangor Daily News - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 16 December 2014.

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