Ein 'Arik checkpoint attack

Ein 'Arik checkpoint attack
Part of Second Intifada
Date 19 February 2002
Location Ein 'Arik, West Bank, Palestinian territories
Belligerents
Israel Defence 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

The Ein 'Arik checkpoint attack occurred on the 19th of 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 on the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Contents

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 "was in excellent health when he was arrested... We are sure Israel killed him as revenge [for the 2002 attack]."[3] The second militant was identified as Da'oud al-Haj.

Aftermath

Israeli paratroopers were ordered to avenge the death of the six soldiers by killing Palestinian policemen. 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.[4]

Fatalities

See also

Destruction of Israeli tanks in the Second Intifada

2002 Hebron ambush

Wadi al-Haramiya sniper attack

References

  1. ^ Amos Harel and Amira Hass (2002-02-20). "6 soldiers killed in attack on outpost". Haaretz. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/6-soldiers-killed-in-attack-on-outpost-1.52381. Retrieved 2011-11-10. 
  2. ^ a b "Ein Ariq Terrorist Sentenced". IDF. http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/today/2007/07/1901.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-10. 
  3. ^ a b Ali Waked (2007-07-31). "Palestinian who murdered 6 soldiers dies". http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3432034,00.html. Retrieved 2011-11-10. 
  4. ^ CHRISTINE HAUSER (June 4, 2005). "Israeli Soldiers Report Reprisal Killings of Palestinians". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/04/international/middleeast/04mideast.html. Retrieved 2011-11-10. 
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Victims of Palestinian Violence and Terrorism since September 2000". MFA. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Palestinian+terror+since+2000/Victims+of+Palestinian+Violence+and+Terrorism+sinc.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-11.