2002 Beit She'an attack

Not to be confused with 1974 Beit She'an attack.
2002 Beit She'an attack
Part of the Second Intifada militancy campaign


The attack site
Location Beit She'an, Israel
Date November 28, 2002
Attack type
 Shooting
Deaths 6 Israeli civilian (+ 2 attackers)
Non-fatal injuries
 34 Israeli civilians
Perpetrators Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility

The 2002 Beit She'an attack, which took place during November 28, 2002, was a terrorist attack carried out by members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the city of Beit She'an, Israel. Gunmen opened fire and threw grenades at the Likud party polling station where party members were casting their votes in the Likud primary.[1]

Six Israeli civilians were killed during the incident and 34 civilians were injured.[2]

The attack

City of Beit She'an in 2008

On November 28, 2002 at 3:20 pm two Palestinians, Omar and Yousef Rub from Jalboun,[3] drove in a stolen vehicle into Beit She'an and parked it in front of Likud headquarters. Entering the polling station, they detonated grenades and fired automatic weapons at close range into lines of people waiting to cast their ballots.[4] Soon thereafter a battle developed which ended with the two terrorists shot dead by a border policeman who happened to be in the area. One of the assailants was wearing an explosives belt under his jacket.[5]

Four Israelis were killed in the attack, and two others died in the hospital from their injuries. Dozens of people were wounded, including three sons of the former Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy.[6]

An eyewitness living near the Likud offices told the media that one of the gunmen laughed as he shot people. "I opened the window and I simply saw the terrorist standing, smiling, laughing and shooting in all directions.[7]

Victims

  • David Peretz, 48, of Beit She'an[8]
  • Haim Amar, 56, of Beit She'an[9]
  • Shaul Zilberstein, 36, of Upper Nazareth[10]
  • Ehud (Yehuda) Avitan, 54, of Beit She'an[11]
  • Mordechai Avraham, 44, of Beit She'an[12]
  • Ya'acov Lary, 35, of Beit She'an[13]

References

Coordinates: 32°29′49″N 35°30′12″E / 32.49694°N 35.50333°E