Matza restaurant suicide bombing

The Matza restaurant suicide bombing occurred on March 31, 2002, when a Palestinian Hamas suicide bomber detonated his bomb inside the Matza restaurant in Haifa, Israel, near the Grand Canyon shopping mall, killing 16 Israeli civilians and injuring over 40 people.[1][2] Journalist Giulio Meotti described the attack as a massacre.[3]

Matza restaurant suicide bombing
Part of the Second Intifada militancy campaign

The attack site
LocationHaifa, Israel
Coordinates32°47′18.8″N 35°0′8.94″E
DateMarch 31, 2002
Attack type
suicide bomber
Deaths16 (+ 1 bomber)
Injured40+
PerpetratorsOne Palestinian assailant (Shadi Tobassi). Hamas claimed responsibility

The attack

The attack occurred at 14:45 during the Passover vacation in Israel, and the restaurant was crowded with families having their lunch. Despite the Passover suicide bombing which occurred just four days earlier in Netanya, and the tense atmosphere following it, the clients and restaurant owners were not particularly worried about security: The Matza restaurant is operated by an Israeli Arab family, and its multi-ethnic nature was thought to make it an unlikely choice for a terrorist attack.

Fatalities

Of the 16 victims, 14 were local Haifa residents, and one a waiter from a nearby town. Two families were completely wiped out, and other families suffered death and grave injuries to multiple family members.

Ron family
  • Aviel Ron, 54, of Haifa[4]
  • Anat Ron, 21, of Haifa[5]
  • Ofer Ron, 18, of Haifa[6]
Koren family
  • Shimon Koren, 55, of Haifa[7]
  • Ran Koren, 18, of Haifa[8]
  • Gal Koren, 15, of Haifa[9]
Shiran family
  • Adi Shiran, 17, of Haifa[10]
  • Shimon Shiran, 57, of Haifa – died of his injuries on April 11, 2009 after remaining hospitalized for seven years.[11]
Additional victims
  • Suheil Adawi, 32, of Turan[12]
  • Dov Chernobroda, 67, of Haifa[13]
  • Moshe Levin, 52, of Haifa[14]
  • Danielle Menchel, 22, of Haifa[15]
  • Orly Ofir, 16, of Haifa[16]
  • Ya'akov Shani, 53, of Haifa[17]
  • Daniel Carlos Wegman, 50, of Haifa[18]
  • Carlos Yerushalmi, 52, of Karkur – died of his injuries on April 1, 2002[19]

The perpetrators

The military wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that the bombings would continue as long as the siege of then President of the Palestinian National Authority, Yasser Arafat in Ramallah.[20] In addition, Hamas spokesman stated that the suicide bomber was a 22-year-old Palestinian named Shadi Tubasi who originated from the Jenin area.[21]

See also

References
  1. Bennet, James (2002-04-01). "MIDEAST TURMOIL: THE VIOLENCE; Bomber Strikes Jews and Arabs At Rare Refuge". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2009-04-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. Meotti, Giulio (2003). A New Shoah: The Untold Story of Israel's Victims of Terrorism. Encounter Books. p. 47. ISBN 978-1594034770.
  4. Aviel Ron
  5. Anat Ron
  6. Ofer Ron
  7. Shimon Koren
  8. Ran Koren
  9. Gal Koren
  10. Adi Shiran
  11. Shimon Shiran
  12. Suheil Adawi
  13. Dov Chernobroda
  14. Moshe Levin
  15. Danielle Menchel
  16. Orly Ofir
  17. Ya-akov Shani
  18. Daniel Carlos Wegman
  19. Carlos Yerushalmi
  20. Israel vows to avenge bombings, The Guardian, April 1, 2002.
  21. "Arafat siege continues". The Guardian. London. March 31, 2002.
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