Ein 'Arik checkpoint attack

The Ein 'Arik checkpoint attack occurred 19 February 2002. One Israeli officer and 5 soldiers were killed in an attack on an IDF checkpoint near the Palestinian village of Ein 'Arik, west of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Ein 'Arik checkpoint attack
Part of Second Intifada
Date19 February 2002
Location
Ein 'Arik, West Bank, Palestinian territories
Belligerents
Israel Defense Forces al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Moshe Eini
Strength
8 soldiers 2 militants
Casualties and losses
1 officer and 5 soldiers killed, 1 soldier wounded None
No civilian casualties

History

The checkpoint was manned by eight soldiers, five of whom were on duty while three were resting in a nearby trailer. The two militants set out from Ramallah. They approached the checkpoint at 9 pm. Shortly after a change of guards they open fire on the soldiers at the checkpoint, killing three of them and moderately wounding a fourth. A fifth soldier, who served as the look-out, fled the scene unharmed and alerted military authorities. The militants then proceeded to a nearby trailer where the remaining soldiers were holed up. The commanding officer Lt. Moshe Eini and two other soldiers were killed. It is uncertain whether the Israeli soldiers ever returned fire. None of the militants were hurt in the clash and both returned to Ramallah.[1][2]

The two militants were policemen of the Palestinian National Authority and reportedly members of the Fatah movement. The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility for the Ein ‘Arik attack. One of the participants of the attack, variously named "Said Saliman Saida"[2] or "Shadi Sawaa'da"[3] (Palestinian sources identify him as Shadi Sa'id as-Su’ayida Arabic: شادي سعيد السعايدة‎) was later arrested and sentenced to 7 life sentences. Shortly after his trial he became ill and died in Soroka hospital. A leader of Al-Aqsa Brigades, Kamil Ghanam [Kamal Ranam] (Arabic: كامل غنام‎), claimed that Su’ayida "was in excellent health when he was arrested... We are sure Israel killed him as revenge [for the 2002 attack]."[4] The second militant was identified as Da'oud al-Haj.

Aftermath

Israeli paratroopers were ordered to avenge the death of the six soldiers by attacking Palestinian police positions. An Israeli soldier who participated in the incident described it as "an eye for an eye". The identity of the attackers were then unknown but Israel held the Palestinian police responsible for letting them through their checkpoints. 15 Palestinian policemen were killed that night, some of them unarmed.[5]

Fatalities
  • Lt. Moshe Eini, 21, of Petah Tikva[6]
  • St.-Sgt. Benny Kikis, 20, of Carmiel[6]
  • St.-Sgt. Mark Podolsky, 20, of Tel Aviv[6]
  • St.-Sgt. Erez Turgeman, 20, of Jerusalem[6]
  • St.-Sgt. Tamir Atsmi, 21, of Kiryat Ono[6]
  • St.-Sgt. Michael Oxsman, 21, of Haifa[6]

See also

References
  1. Amos Harel and Amira Hass (20 February 2002). "6 soldiers killed in attack on outpost". Haaretz. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  2. "Ein Ariq Terrorist Sentenced". IDF. Archived from the original on 3 June 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  3. Ali Waked (31 July 2007). "Palestinian who murdered 6 soldiers dies". Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  4. Ali Waked (31 July 2007). "Al-Aqsa Brigades: Israel responsible for Sawa'ada's death". Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  5. CHRISTINE HAUSER (4 June 2005). "Israeli Soldiers Report Reprisal Killings of Palestinians". New York Times. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  6. "Victims of Palestinian Violence and Terrorism since September 2000". MFA. Archived from the original on 3 April 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2011.

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