Islamic Jihad terrorists ambushed a unit of soldiers protecting Jews on their way home from Machpelah Cave to Kiryat Arba, massacring four soldiers, five Border Guard policemen, and three civilians who attempted to come to the rescue. Fourteen people are wounded, including four in serious condition. Among the dead is Col. Dror Weinberg, 38, Hevron Brigade Commander. Weinberg is the highest-ranking IDF officer who was killed in the Oslo War.
Arabs in Gaza danced in the streets at the news of the massacre.
The battle began around 7:30 Friday night, and several of the casualties were killed as they were attempting to rescue the wounded. Three terrorists hid in different places along a narrow street used to shorten the way between the Machpelah Cave and Kiryat Arba, and opened fire at the guards behind them. It is not certain why they did not open fire at the civilians, but one possibility is that they wished to infiltrate with the group into Kiryat Arba - they were dressed in white shirts - and open fire there.
Spokesmen for the Jewish community in Hevron issued the following statement:
"The handwriting was on the wall, plain, simple, and visible to all. We can say 'We told you so' - but what does that help?... We warned that the withdrawal of the IDF from Hevron would lead to continued terror. We warned that the vacuum left by the IDF retreat would lead to loss of life. In the past three weeks, there were 11 terror attacks in and around Hevron. Yet no one listened. No one cared. Least of all, our former Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, who ordered the retreat from Hevron, not for security reasons, rather for political reasons. Incredulously, he had the support of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon... Their political games cost 12 people their lives last night."
"We expect a different kind of response from the new Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz. We expect Ariel Sharon to listen to him and implement new policies against Arafat-organized terror."
"We demand:
Anything less will be a farce."
Arabs in Gaza danced in the streets at the news of the massacre.
The battle began around 7:30 Friday night, and several of the casualties were killed as they were attempting to rescue the wounded. Three terrorists hid in different places along a narrow street used to shorten the way between the Machpelah Cave and Kiryat Arba, and opened fire at the guards behind them. It is not certain why they did not open fire at the civilians, but one possibility is that they wished to infiltrate with the group into Kiryat Arba - they were dressed in white shirts - and open fire there.
Spokesmen for the Jewish community in Hevron issued the following statement:
"The handwriting was on the wall, plain, simple, and visible to all. We can say 'We told you so' - but what does that help?... We warned that the withdrawal of the IDF from Hevron would lead to continued terror. We warned that the vacuum left by the IDF retreat would lead to loss of life. In the past three weeks, there were 11 terror attacks in and around Hevron. Yet no one listened. No one cared. Least of all, our former Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, who ordered the retreat from Hevron, not for security reasons, rather for political reasons. Incredulously, he had the support of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon... Their political games cost 12 people their lives last night."
"We expect a different kind of response from the new Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz. We expect Ariel Sharon to listen to him and implement new policies against Arafat-organized terror."
"We demand:
- The Israeli army must move back into all of Hevron and Bethlehem and stay there, without any thought of ever leaving again.
- Dismantling of all Arab houses and buildings on the road between Hevron and Kiryat Arba, where the terrorists took cover and perpetrated their attack.
- A true "Zionist response" to this massacre: Construction of a new Hevron neighborhood, in between Hevron and Kiryat Arba, at the site of the terror attack.
Anything less will be a farce."