Eilat bakery bombing

Eilat bakery bombing


The attack site
Location Eilat, Israel
Coordinates 29°33′35″N 34°56′43″E / 29.55972°N 34.94528°E
Date 29 January 2007
Attack type
 suicide attack
Deaths 3 civilians (+ 1 bomber)
Perpetrators al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades
Islamic Jihad
Islamic Brigade

The Eilat bakery bombing occurred on 29 January 2007 when a Palestinian suicide bomber from the Gaza Strip infiltrated the northern suburbs of Eilat, Israel. Upon seeing the police approaching, he entered a neighbourhood bakery and detonated his bomb, killing three people: the bakery's co-owners and an employee.[1]

In the midst of Palestinian factional violence, both the Islamic Jihad and the Fatah-affiliated al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed joint responsibility.[2][3] A third Palestinian group called the Islamic Brigade which was not known also claimed responsibility for the attack along with the other two mentioned above.[4]

Background

The suicide bomber was 21-year-old Muhammad Faisal al-Saqsaq of Beit Lahia, Gaza Strip. He had previously fought against Israeli troops in Jabalia and Beit Hanoun.[5]

According to the Islamic Jihad, Saqsaq initially set out from the West Bank, and later on was smuggled into Jordan. From there he reached Eilat and was given the explosives by militants waiting for him there, after going through seven months of preparations.

Israeli Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter stated that the bomber infiltrated Israel from Egypt, echoing conclusions of the other intelligence agencies. Israel stated that the suicide bomber had infiltrated through the 220 kilometer Israeli-Egyptian border which is fenceless and patrolled by minimal IDF and Border Police forces. The suicide bomber possibly entered Egypt through an underground tunnel across the Philadelphi Corridor, and was then driven to the Egyptian/Israeli border, which he crossed on foot some 30 km from Eilat.

The attack

After infiltrating Israel on 29 January 2007, Saqsaq made his way to Eilat, and when he was in the Simchon neighborhood, he hitched with an Israeli man who was senior officer in the IDF reserves, Lt. Col. Yossi Waltinsky. Waltinsky stated later on in an interview with Channel 10 that he had suspected the hitchhiker was up to something, mainly due to his suspicious heavy clothing and lack of knowledge of Hebrew, nevertheless, he was not able do anything at that point until the suspicious passenger was out of his car. Waltinsky dropped the passenger off near a gas station, about a kilometer from where the attack took place. He immediately phoned the local police station, explaining his encounter and telling the police he believed the man was a terrorist. The call was made seven minutes before the attack came.[6]

Upon receiving Waltinsky's call, two patrol cars were dispatched to investigate. Meanwhile, Saqsaq, who wore a long black winter coat on a warm sunny day, soon approached a small bakery. The local police later on stated that the suicide bomber was carrying the bomb in a backbag rather than an explosives belt.[4]

Saqsaq apparently only stopped at the bakery for coffee, and planned to proceed to a final destination to detonate the bomb, but when he saw the police approaching, he detonated the bomb in the bakery.

This was Eilat's first suicide bombing, and the first attack to succeed against Israel since 17 April 2006 (others had been attempted, but thwarted by Israeli security forces).[7] Although it was the first suicide bomb to hit the city which is a quiet Red Sea holiday resort,[8] through the years there have been other acts of terror committed near Eilat.[9]

Fatalities

The people were killed in the attack:[10]

The perpetrators

Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, together with two other terrorist groups.[6][12][13] A spokesman of Islamic Jihad declared that the suicide bomber was a 21-year-old named Muhammed Faisal al-Saqsaq who originated from Gaza City and who was a member of the Fatah-affiliated al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.

Al-Saqsaq's family noted that he was missing for three days, but they "knew he was going to a martyrdom operation".

Aftermath

A large crowd gathered outside the bomber's home to praise the attack. "Mohammed be happy. You will go directly to heaven," the crowd chanted, while children held pictures of the bomber. He looked pensive in one image, and held a machine gun in another.

Accord to a report from WorldNetDaily, Israeli officials stated that Israel has considered the possibility that the suicide bomber was aided by Egyptian security forces.[14]

Government reactions

International

See also

References

  1. ↑ McGirk, Tim (29 January 2007). "Terror Returns to Israel". Time (Jerusalem). Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  2. ↑ Suicide Bomb Kills 3 in Bakery in Israel - The New York Times, 29 January 2007
  3. ↑ "Suicide bomber kills 3 in Israel's Eilat resort". The Washington Post. 29 January 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2012. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Three dead in Israel suicide bomb". BBC. 29 January 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  5. ↑ "Family of suicide bomber consider him a hero". Israel Today.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Eilat driver warned police about terrorist minutes before attack". Haaretz. 17 April 2006.
  7. ↑ "Peretz orders IDF to prepare for operations in Gaza". The Jerusalem Post. 29 January 2007.
  8. ↑ "Bomber Strikes Israel Holiday Resort". SKY News. 29 January 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  9. ↑ "Past terror attacks in the Eilat area". Haaretz. 29 January 2007.
  10. ↑ "Suicide bombing in Eilat bakery". Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 29 January 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Israeli civilians killed by Palestinians in Israel, 26 December 2008". B'Tselem.
  12. ↑ Suicide bomber kills 3 at Israeli bakery - AP, January 29, 2007
  13. ↑ "EU slams Eilat bombing, calls it bid to derail peace process". Haaretz. January 29, 2007.
  14. ↑ Klein, Aaron (January 30, 2007). "Egyptian forces aided suicide bombing?". WorldNetDaily.
  15. ↑ EU 2007.de - The Council Presidency
  16. ↑ EU Presidency Statement on the suicide bombing in Eilat in Israel - EU2007.de, CFSP Statements, January 29, 2007
  17. ↑ EU, U.S. slam Eilat bombing - Haaretz.com
  18. ↑ "Carl Bildt condemns terrorist attack in Eilat" (Press release). Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Sweden). 2007-01-29. Retrieved 2007-02-03.
  19. ↑ Britain condemns Israeli suicide bombing - Xinhua, January 30, 2007
  20. ↑ BECKETT CONDEMNS SUICIDE BOMBING IN ISRAEL - Foreign Policy News British Embassy Oslo, January 29, 2007
  21. ↑ White House condemns bombing in Israel's Eilat - Reuters, January 29, 2007