Gush Emunim Underground

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gush Emunim Underground was a militant organization formed by prominent members of the Israeli political movement Gush Emunim, that existed from 1979-1984.

In 1983, its members were involved in a retaliation attack after the murder of a yeshivah student in Hebron. In broad daylight, two men entered the Islamic College of Hebron, spraying bullets and tossing a grenade. They murdered three students and wounded thirty-three.^[1] In 1990, the three perpetrators of this attack, Menachem Livni, Shaul Nir and Uzi Sharbav, were released from prison by Israeli president Chaim Herzog. On their release, the three were hailed as "heroes" by leaders of the Gush Emunim movement. The Gush Emunim Underground also carried out car bomb attacks against Palestinian officials. As a result of these attacks, Bassam Shakaa, the mayor of Nablus lost both of his legs and Karim Khalaf, the mayor of Ramallah lost one of his legs.^[2]

The group was also known for masterminding a failed attempt at destroying the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. Shin Bet agents arrested the members during an attempted bus bombing in 1984 and during interrogation discovered the group's plot to blow up the pillars of the Dome of the Rock. Three of the men were sentenced to life in prison for the Islamic College attack. Controversially, their sentences were commuted three times, so they left prison in less than seven years.^[1]

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b Gorenberg, Gershom. The End of Days: Fundamentalism and the Struggle for the Temple Mount. Oxford University Press: 2000. 128-137
^ "3 Israeli Terrorists Are Released In 4th Reduction of Their Terms," New York Times, 27 December 1990