Attack of Eilat

The attack of Eilat is a Attack-suicide perpetrated the January 29th 2007 in a Boulangerie of Eilat, by a Palestinian originating in the Gaza Strip, and made 3 Israeli victims. This attack was asserted at the same time by the Islamic Jihad Palestinian and the Brigades of the Al-Aqsa martyrs.

Context

The attack of Eilat is carried out on bottom of power struggle between the Palestinian factions and of frequent rocket fires against the Israeli territory.

It is about the first Attentat with Eilat since 1992 (a Palestinian militant had then arrived in Eilat at the stroke and had killed an Israeli security agent), balneal city of the south of Israel which up to that point had been preserved in particular during the the Second Intifada since 2000 and at the time of the attacks Jihad ists in the the Egyptian Sinai in 2004.

The attack of Eilat is also the first attack carried out on the Israeli territory since the April 17th 2006, date of a Attack-suicide also asserted by the Islamic Jihad Palestinian and the Brigades of the Al-Aqsa martyrs and having killed 11 people in the old terminus of bus of Tel Aviv. Other attacks were thwarted for this period by the Israeli security forces. The area of Eilat itself had been aimed by other actions of terror before. In 2005, the city had been struck by a launched rocket since the territory Jordan N.

Execution of the attack

The attack was carried out in a residential zone of Eilat rather far away from the tourist area of the seaside.

The author of the attack-suicide is Muhammed Faisal Al-Saksak, 21 years old and employment, resident with Gaza and member of the Brigades of the Al-Aqsa martyrs, affiliated with the movement Fatah of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. According to its close relations, it had lost his sick little girl recently. His/her brother is militant important Islamic Jihad and his/her best friend would have died during a confrontation with the Israeli forces. Its family had noticed her absence for 3 days and was informed of her intention, all in “ requesting for the success of her operation Martyr ”.

According to the Islamic Jihad movement, the preparation of the attack would have taken 7 months and the author of the attack would have passed by the the West Bank then the Jordan before reaching Eilat where other militants awaited it to provide him the explosives.

The Israeli Minister for the Internal security, Avi Dichter, on the contrary established that the terrorist would have infiltrated by the Egypt, through the 220km of border without stopping and with rare Israeli patrols of monitoring. Other information agencies arrive at the same conclusions and suppose that Saksak could use an underground tunnel to join Egypt since the Gaza Strip and to continue with foot. Earlier, Egypt however declared as impossible the possibility that it passed by its territory.

It was established that Saksak hitch-hiked and was transported by an Israeli Lieutenant-colonel reservist. This one told, in a maintenance with the Israeli chain Chanel 10 , which he suspected the man who he had taken in his car to be a terrorist because of his thick coat and of his not-control of the Hebrew , but that he could not do anything as long as he was in his vehicle. Its call to the police force did not precede that by a few minutes the explosion of the bomb in a bakery of Eilat. Saksak would have actuated the bomb in this bakery with the approach of police cars Israeli, whereas it probably was not about its final destination.

The Israeli investigators study the possibility that the kamikaze could be helped by members of Egyptian safety, in violation of the Peace treaty israélo-Egyptian.

International reactions

Khaled Al Batch, person in charge of the Islamic Jihad Palestinian, justified the attack which would be, according to him, “ the logical response with the continuation of the crimes of the enemy Zionist ”.

A few hours after the attack, the reactions of the international community are make hear:

Jordan - the King Abdallah condemned the explosion, specifying that “ such attacks would do nothing but increase the sufferings of the Palestinians ”.
the United States - the spokesperson of the White House, Tony Snow, declared that the responsibility for the attack returned to the government of the Palestinian Autorité and that “ its failure to be acted against terror would inevitably affect the relations between this government and the international community and would penalize the aspirations of the Palestinian people in a State ”.
European Union - the Germany, occupying the presidency of the European Union at the time of the attack, condemned severely the attack and “ press the Palestinian leadership to make any possible sound to put a term at terror and to prosecute those which support terror ”.
Sweden - the Swedish Minister for the Foreign affairs, Carl Bildt, declared: “ I today condemn the terrorist attack of aujour' to Eilat in Israel. The violence which aims at civilians is completely unacceptable. the confrontations between Palestinian groups make victims more and more. The Palestinian leaders must take their responsabilities and quickly find a way to solve the crisis by peaceful means ”.
the United Kingdom - the Secretary of foreign affairs, Margaret Beckett, declared: “ We condemn the attack absolutely commits suicide of this morning with Eilat. There cannot be justification with such attacks ”.

Consequences of the attack

the official results of the attack of 3 died Israeli.

Following this murderous attack, Israeli the Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, promised a “ fight without respite against the terrorists ”. A raid of Israeli aviation is carried out against targets in the Gaza Strip which would be, according to the army, of the tunnels used to prepare the attack.

One of the consequences feared by the Israelis is that this attack does not affect the results of the tourist season while making flee the visitors essential with the economy of the country. The attack arrives two months after an important conference at Eilat to promote this destination near the travel agencies.

Victims

In the attack perpetrated three people found death. It is about Ami Elmaleh z" L, 32 years, married and father of two children, Michael Ben Saadoun z" L, 26 years, married and father of a baby, and Israel Samolia z" L, 26 years, immigrant of Peruvian origin. The two first were the owners of the restaurant.

Five other people were slightly wounded.

Michael Ben Saadoun was born in Acco. Four years ago, it decided to try its chance with Eilat and started with part-time jobs before opening, six months ago, a bakery belonging to a chain belonging to the second victim, Ami Elmaleh z" L.

The wife of Michael, Shani, told that her husband had lifted himself to a height of five hours, the morning of the drama, to go to work. Three hours later, it had returned at his place to take along his son, 8 months old, with the crib. It was their last meeting.

The wife of the victim told that Michael was a baited worker, who passed the major part of his time to bakery. `' It dreamed to succeed in this profession that it had learned quickly and to develop this network'', she added. She told that the attack day before, they had looked with their son film of their marriage. Now, this family moment of happiness will remain forever engraved in its memory.

Friend Elmaleh z" L, born in Eilat, married it there has five years with Keren and was father of two little girls, 4 years and 2 years old. Two years ago and half, it decided to open three bakeries and took thereafter as associated Michael Ben Saadoun.

Israel Samolia z" L, the third victim of the attack, lived in Eilat since its arrival in Israel. Its family, which lives in Miami, in Florida, was informed of her death by the consul of Israel. That made three months that the young immigrant of Peruvian origin worked in bakery. ( Claire Picardy Dana )

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