Beersheba bus bombings
Encyclopedia
The Beersheba bus bombings were two suicide bombings carried out nearly simultaneously aboard commuter buses in Beersheba
, Israel
, on August 31, 2004. 16 people were killed and 80 were injured.
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas
claimed responsibility for the attacks.
" public buses (lines 6 and 12) were travelling along the main street of Beersheba, Rager boulevard, near the city hall. 14:50 pm the first bomber blew up the explosive device hidden underneath his cloths on bus No. 6 as the bus passed a busy intersection in the center of Be'er Sheva. Two minutes later, the second bomber blew himself up while on board the bus No. 12 which was located about 100 meters away from the first bus.
According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the fatalities, all residents of Beersheba, were:
claimed responsibility. Hamas distributed leaflets in Hebron
which stated that the attack was a revenge for the assassination of Hamas leaders Ahmed Yassin
and Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi
by Israel. The Israeli government accused Syria
and "terror command posts in Damascus" of involvement in the attack.
A video tape which was published after the attack by Hamas showed the two suicide bombers, Nassem Jabari (22) and Ahmad Qawasme (26), posing with rifles and posters.
The Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom
placed the blame at Yasser Arafat
for not preventing the attacks, and for bringing nothing but "terror and evil" since his return to the Palestinian territories
.
, a senior member of the military wing of the Hamas was killed in an automobile booby trap
, in the al-Zahera district of southern Damascus
, Syria
. The car bombing was blamed on the Israeli government, which has not officially claimed responsibility, however unnamed Israeli sources unofficially acknowledged responsibility, calling it a response to the Beersheba bus bombings.
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, on August 31, 2004. 16 people were killed and 80 were injured.
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The attacks
At time of the attacks, the "Metrodan BeershebaMetrodan Beersheba
Metrodan Beersheba Ltd. is an Israeli bus company. It is owned, among others, by Tour Bus. Metrodan operates bus lines within Beersheba, as the name implies....
" public buses (lines 6 and 12) were travelling along the main street of Beersheba, Rager boulevard, near the city hall. 14:50 pm the first bomber blew up the explosive device hidden underneath his cloths on bus No. 6 as the bus passed a busy intersection in the center of Be'er Sheva. Two minutes later, the second bomber blew himself up while on board the bus No. 12 which was located about 100 meters away from the first bus.
Fatalities
Many of the passengers had been returning from shopping at an open-air market, while others were students coming home from school.According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the fatalities, all residents of Beersheba, were:
|
Beersheba Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300.... Beersheba Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300.... Beersheba Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300.... Beersheba Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300.... Beersheba Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300.... Beersheba Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300.... Beersheba Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300.... Beersheba Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300.... |
The perpetrators
After the attack HamasHamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
claimed responsibility. Hamas distributed leaflets in Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
which stated that the attack was a revenge for the assassination of Hamas leaders Ahmed Yassin
Ahmed Yassin
Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Hassan Yassin was a founder of Hamas, an Islamist Palestinian paramilitary organization and political party. Yassin also served as the spiritual leader of the organization...
and Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi
Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi
Dr. Abdel Aziz Ali Abdulmajid al-Rantissi ; 23 October 1947 – 17 April 2004) was the co-founder of the militant Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas with Sheikh Ahmed Yassin....
by Israel. The Israeli government accused Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and "terror command posts in Damascus" of involvement in the attack.
A video tape which was published after the attack by Hamas showed the two suicide bombers, Nassem Jabari (22) and Ahmad Qawasme (26), posing with rifles and posters.
Reactions
Following the bombing, an estimated 20,000 Hamas supporters in Gaza took to Gaza's streets on Tuesday, celebrating the successful attack.The Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom
Silvan Shalom
' , born 4 October 1958) is an Israeli politician, member of the Knesset for Likud and the country's Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development. He previously served as the country's Foreign Minister and Finance Minister.-Biography:...
placed the blame at Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
for not preventing the attacks, and for bringing nothing but "terror and evil" since his return to the Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
.
Subsequent related events
On September 26, 2004, Izz El-Deen Sheikh KhalilIzz El-Deen Sheikh Khalil
Izz El-Deen Sobhi Sheikh Khalil , from the Shajaiyeh district of Gaza City, presently a Hamas stronghold, was a senior member of the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas when he was killed in an automobile booby trap on September 26, 2004, in the al-Zahera district of southern...
, a senior member of the military wing of the Hamas was killed in an automobile booby trap
Booby trap
A booby trap is a device designed to harm or surprise a person, unknowingly triggered by the presence or actions of the victim. As the word trap implies, they often have some form of bait designed to lure the victim towards it. However, in other cases the device is placed on busy roads or is...
, in the al-Zahera district of southern Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. The car bombing was blamed on the Israeli government, which has not officially claimed responsibility, however unnamed Israeli sources unofficially acknowledged responsibility, calling it a response to the Beersheba bus bombings.
External links
- Twin Blasts Kill 16 in Israel; Hamas Claims Responsibility - published on The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
on September 1, 2004 - 16 killed in suicide bombings on buses in Israel - published on CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
on September 1, 2004 - Suicide terrorists blow up buses in southern Israel - published on USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
on August 31, 2004 - 16 die in Be'er Sheva bombings - published on HaaretzHaaretzHaaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
on September 1, 2004 - Be'er Sheva bus bombers were part of Hamas cell in Hebron - published on HaaretzHaaretzHaaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
on September 1, 2004 - Double bombing of buses in Beersheba - published on August 31, 2004 on the Israeli Ministry of Foreign AffairsMinistry of Foreign Affairs (Israel)The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs is one of the most important ministries in the Israeli government. The ministry's role is to implement Israel's foreign policy, and promote economic, cultural, and scientific relations with other countries....
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