Shmuel HaNavi bus bombing

Attack

On August 19, 2003 (22 Av 5763), a Hamas suicide bomber sent out by the organization's Hebron cell disguised himself as a Haredi Jew and detonated himself on a No. 2 Egged bus traveling through Jerusalem's Shmuel HaNavi neighborhood. He blew himself up after entering the back door. The double-length bus was crowded with Orthodox Jewish children returning from a visit to the Western Wall. In addition to the perpetrator, the huge explosion killed 7 children and 16 adults, among them a woman who was eight months' pregnant, and injured more than 130 people. The bomb was spiked with ball-bearings designed to increase injuries on the crowded bus. Hamas said the bomber was a 29-year-old mosque preacher from the city of Hebron.

Because so many of the dead and injured were children, the media dubbed it the "children's bus". According to an Associated Press report,

Perpetrators

Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack. According to Tariq Ali, however, the bombing was carried out by a "self-proclaimed 'Hamas' cell from Hebron, disowned and denounced by the official leadership."

Aftermath

The attack put an end to the so-called Hudna that had been announced in July 2003.

Israeli forces arrested 17 Palestinians suspected of being Hamas activists, including several of the bomber's relatives, while Hamas leader Ismail Abu Shanab and his two bodyguards were killed by an Israeli helicopter missile strike in Gaza.

In 2004 a memorial plaque to the victims was erected in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood of Jerusalem. The name of the only non-Jewish victim, Maria Antonia Reslas, was engraved separately from the names of the other victims, with the title "Mrs" rather than the title "sainted" (kadosh) used for the Jews, resulting in some controversy.

Reactions

United States president George W. Bush sent his condolences to the victims' families. The European Commission also denounced what it called the "devastating terrorist attack" and called on the Palestinian Authority to intervene to bring a halt to such acts:The European Commission strongly condemns last night's devastating terrorist attack in Jerusalem and expresses its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and to the Israeli Government. This is an attack on all the forces working for peace. The European Commission calls on the Palestinian Authority to do everything in its powers to prevent such unacceptable and unjustified act of violence, and urges the PA and the Israeli Government to pursue their dialogue and common efforts towards peace as set out in the Road Map.

References

References

1. (2020-09-17). "The Second Intifada: A look back at the Palestinian terror campaign {{!}} The Jerusalem Post".
2. (April 4, 2013). "Remember these children". Remember these children.
3. Sciences, Russian Academy of. (2009-03-26). "Countering Terrorism: Biological Agents, Transportation Networks, and Energy Systems: Summary of a U.S.-Russian Workshop". National Academies Press.
4. Cole, Leonard A.. (2007). ["Terror: How Israel Has Coped and What America Can Learn"]({{Google books). Indiana University Press.
5. "Suicide bombing of No 2 Egged bus in Jerusalem-19-Aug-2003". Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
6. Ettinger, Yair. (August 21, 2003). "After praying for a seventh child Nava's baby died in her arms". Haaretz.com.
7. [https://web.archive.org/web/20031213102135/http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/08/19/jerusalem.bomb.scene.ap/index.html Israel shocked at child toll of Jerusalem bus bombing] CNN, 20 August 2003
8. "The attack tonight was claimed by members of both Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The Israeli police said the bomber was from Hamas." James Bennet, [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A05EFDD1E30F933A1575BC0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all BOMBING KILLS 18 AND HURTS SCORES ON JERUSALEM BUS], ''[[The New York Times]]'', August 20, 2003.
9. "The militant Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad both said they carried out the attack." [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3165279.stm Bus bomb carnage in Jerusalem], ''[[BBC News]]'', August 20, 2003.
10. "...a bus bomb in Jerusalem earlier this week – for which both groups claimed responsibility – left 20 people dead." Roger Hardy, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3170895.stm Analysis: End of roadmap?], ''[[BBC News]]'', August 21, 2003.
11. Ali, Tariq. (December 30, 2008). "From the ashes of Gaza". Guardian.
12. (August 20, 2003). "Israel blast suspends talks". BBC.
13. "Ismail Abu Shanab". Web Gaza.
14. link. (October 1, 2007 Haaretz, August 16, 2004)
15. (August 20, 2003). "The European Commission strongly condemns Jerusalem terrorist attack". Europa-eu-un.org.