2001 Immanuel bus attack

Not to be confused with 2002 Immanuel bus attack.

2001 Immanuel bus attack
Part of the Second Intifada militancy campaign
The attack site
Location	Immanuel, West Bank
Date	12 December 2001
Attack type	Ambush, Mass murder, spree killing, Bombing, Shooting attack
Weapons	AK-47 rifles, hand grenades, a roadside bomb
Deaths	11 Israeli civilians
Injured	30 Israeli civilians
Perpetrators	al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades

The 2001 Immanuel bus attack was an ambush attack by Palestinian militants targeting Israeli civilians on 12 December 2001. Eleven passengers were killed in the attack and 30 were injured.

The Palestinian Islamist militant organization al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack

On 12 December 2001, three armed Palestinians militants planted a roadside bomb beside the road leading to the Jewish settlement of Immanuel. After placing two roadside bombs, the assailants ambushed a bus on its way from Bnei Brak.

Soon after, a non-armoured Dan bus line 189, en route to Immanuel from Bnei Brak, approached the site as two roadside bombs exploded. The bus, which was greatly damaged in the explosions, continued to drive several hundred meters until it was immobilized. Immediately after the bus was immobilized, one of the militants approached the bus, threw hand grenades into the bus, and fired small arms on the passengers of the bus and at the vehicles arriving at the site, while the passengers attempted to flee the bus. The passengers of three other vehicles traveling on this road at that time were also affected.

Army and police forces arrived at the scene soon afterwards and a firefight erupted. A long exchange of fire ended with the killing of the perpetrators.

11 people were killed in the attack and about 30 were injured.

Fatalities

Yair Amar, 13, of Immanuel Esther Avraham, 42, of Immanuel Border Police Chief Warrant Officer Yoel Bienenfeld, 35, of Moshav Tel Shahar Moshe Gutman, 40, of Immanuel Avraham Nahman Nitzani, 17, of Betar Illit Yirmiyahu Salem, 48, of Immanuel

Israel Sternberg, 46, of Immanuel David Tzarfati, 38, of Ginot Shomron Hananya Tzarfati, 32, of Kfar Saba Ya'akov Tzarfati, 64, of Kfar Saba Haim Chiprot, 52, of Immanuel – injured in the attack, died of his wounds on 25 March 2002.

Official reactions

Involved parties

Israel:

• Israeli government spokesman Avi Pazner said, "We hold the Palestinian authorities responsible for the activities of these terrorist group who operate in full daylight and in the full knowledge of the Palestinian Authority and continue their deadly attacks against civilian men, women and children".

Palestinian territories:

• The Palestinian Authority condemned the attack.

See also

• Israeli casualties of war

External links

• Bus ambush brings carnage back to Israel - published on Independent Online on 12 December 2001
• Terrorist attack on bus at Emmanuel - 12 December 2001 - published on the Israeli Foreign Ministry website
• Several Dead In Shooting On Israeli Bus - published on the New Straits Times on 13 December 2001
• Israel Retaliates After Hamas Attacks Bus - published on the Bangor Daily News on 13 December 2001
• Eight killed in Palestinian attack on Israeli bus - published on the Bangor Daily News on 13 December 2001