June 2016 Tel Aviv shooting

June 2016 Tel Aviv shooting
Part of Israeli–Palestinian conflict (2015–present)

Sarona Market
Location Sarona market, Tel Aviv, Israel
Date 8 June 2016
21:26 (IDT)
Attack type
 Mass shooting and Terrorism
Weapons Homemade Carl Gustav submachine gun[1]
Deaths 4
Non-fatal injuries
 7 civilians (+14 shock victims)[2]
1 perpetrator[3]
Perpetrators Khalid al-Mahmara and Muhammad Ahmad Moussa Mahmara[4] (inspired by the Islamic State)[5]

The June 2016 Tel Aviv shooting, which occurred on 8 June 2016 in Tel Aviv, Israel, was a terrorist attack in which two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on patrons at the Max Brenner Cafe in the Sarona Market, killing four people and injuring seven others. The perpetrators were caught alive by the security forces and put in custody. According to an official indictment filed by the Tel Aviv District Prosecutor's Office the perpetrators were inspired by the Islamic State group.[5]

Background

Perpetrators

The perpetrators, Khalid al-Muhamra and Muhammad Ahmad Moussa Mahmara, cousins belonging to the Mahmara family from the town of Yatta in the Hebron area in the West Bank, both 21,[6] operated on their behalf and did not revice aid, instruction pledge allegiance to any group.[7] The two did not have any previous criminal record[8] and were arrested by the police following the attack.[9] An investigation by the Israel Security Agency revealed the shooters were influenced by propaganda videos of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.[10] Ayash Musa Zayn, their friend from Yatta helped the two with the planning of the attack and secured their weapons.[7] The two were also assisted by Salim Mognam (23) of Yatta, who helped them infiltrate Israel through a break in the separation barrier.[10]

Khalid al-Muhamra is a Hamas member who studied at the Al-Karak Jordanian military academy, and arrived for Ramadan vacation.[11] His peers said he was an electrical engineering honors student and came from a family associated with Fatah.[12] Muhammad Ahmad Moussa Mahmara was not identified as a member of any group.[13] Hamas said both perpetrators had were its members.[4] The father of one perpetrator stated he was surprised by his son's actions.[14] The perpetrators' uncle, Taleb Mahmara, was a member of the militant Tanzim faction of Fatah. He participated in an attack that killed four Israelis south of Hebron in 2002. Taleb is today imprisoned in Israel and his house was demolished after he was arrested.[6]

Preparations

Muhammad spent a long period of time studying in Jordan in 2015, where he was influenced by ISIL propaganda videos and the decision to carry out the attack was taken after he returned to Yatta in January 2016.[10]

Nuhammad and Khalid asked their friend Ayash Musa Zayn from their town to participate in the attack. The three originally planned to attack an Israeli train and gathered information about timetables, journey routes, entrances and exits, gateways and numbers of passengers passing through different stations. Muhammad and Khalid bought 30 cm knives and rat poison to be spread on the knives and maximize the damage caused. They also bought suits, watches, bags, shoes and glasses. The entire cost of their equipment was around 4000 NIS. They were equipped with what appeared to be a locally made "Carl Gustav" submachine gun to carry out the attack.[15] They went to shooting practice to make sure that their weapons worked and hid them with Ayash along with the ammunition and the rest of their equipment. The two prevented Ayash from participating in the attack because he was in a financial debt, which according to Islamic law precludes the possibility of an individual becoming a Shahid (martyr).[10]

The two were reported missing to the Palestinian Security Services two days before the attack. This did not arouse suspicion since such notifications to the Palestinian authorities are received every day, and the time interval of their absence was short.[6] The day of the attack, the two entered Israel through a break in the West Bank separation barrier and the area of Beit Yatir, south of Yatta. They were helped from Salim Mognam (23) of Yatta. After infiltrating into Israel, they stayed in an apartment in Segev Shalom that is used by illegal residents where they prepared to set out for Tel Aviv. From there, the two travelled to Be’er Sheva on bus line 53. After a few hours of making the final preparations for the attack, the two made their way to the train station but decided to abort the plan due to security checks being conducted at the entrance. At this point, the two boarded a cab and arrived at HaShalom Railway Station where they asked people where they can find popular restaurants or coffee shops and arrived at a Max Brenner dessert restaurant.[10]

Attack

Events

At 21:04 (UTC+3), on 8 June 2016, two perpetrators dressed in suits and ties arrived at the Max Brenner Cafe in the Sarona Market complex near HaArba'a Street in Tel Aviv. They inspected the area and then sat down on chairs outside, ordering desserts. At 21:27 the perpetrators stood up and fired at the diners until one of the perpetrators' firearms jammed. He slammed the firearm on the floor and the perpetrators started to run away from the site.[16][17][18] The perpetrators wounded 11 people. Four were critically wounded, and later succumbed to their wounds. Two others were in severe condition, two in moderate condition and four in light condition. An additional 14 people suffering from symptoms of anxiety received medical attention at the scene and at the hospitals.[2] The two did not have an escape plan, an official of the Israel Security Agency said, after investigation, that they "trusted in Allah".[19] The perpetrators fled and split up, and at 21:40, one of the perpetrators was wounded and neutralized after a gunfight with a civil guard of Kol Yisrael[16] and was taken to Ichilov Hospital in serious condition.[18] The other unarmed perpetrator ran in a nearby street, near the Tel Aviv Cinematheque. He encountered an off-duty policeman (who was in plainclothes) and asked him for a glass of water and the unsuspecting policeman invited him into his home with his family. The man then rushed to the scene of the attack, leaving the perpetrator in his home. The family tried to speak to the perpetrator but he didn't respond and was stressed. The wife of the policeman said she didn't suspect anything and that she thought he was a man who ran from the attack. When the policeman saw the other perpetrator was dressed just like the man he invited into his home, he rushed back to his home and captured the perpetrator who tried to escape.[20][21] While arresting him, one of the policemen called in to help entered the home with his weapon drawn. When he saw that the perpetrator was already captured, he returned his weapon to its sheath, at which point it discharged a bullet and one of the policemen was wounded from shrapnel.[21]

Victims

Four Israeli citizens were killed as a result of the attack. The victims are:[22]

Aftermath

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot said some 83,000 Palestinian entry permits to visit families in Israel for the Ramadan were suspended following the attack,[29] a move that was described as "collective punishment" by Knesset member Haneen Zoabi and U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein.[30][31] The IDF imposed a closure over the entire West Bank and the Gaza Strip in the wake of the attack, which was scheduled to end on 11 June after the end of Jewish holiday of Shavuot. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories decided to allow movement in and out of the territories for humanitarian and medical reasons, as well as to allow worshippers to enter Al-Aqsa mosque for Friday prayers[32] except for residents of the Gaza Strip.[29] Lieberman also ordered to halt the practice of returning bodies of other perpetrators of other recent attacks. Erdan proposed to re-establish a cemetery used by Israel during the Second Intifada to bury Palestinian assailants instead of transferring their bodies to their families, an offer Lieberman reportedly supported. Lieberman also demanded to demolish the houses of the perpetrators in 24 hours but Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said "Israel was governed by the rule of law and that due process took longer than that."[33] The US State department urged Israel to ensure that "any measures it takes are designed to also take into consideration the impact on Palestinian citizens that are trying to go about their daily lives."[34] Police also raided workshops where they believe the guns may have been made.[35]

The Israeli Cabinet stated it will revoke 204 work permits for the al-Makhamra hamula (clan).[36][37]

The IDF said it will send hundreds of soldiers to the West Bank.[30] They blocked all entrances to the town of Yatta, raided one of the perpetrators' homes, searched the house, interrogated his family members, and mapped out one of perpetrators' houses to prepare it for demolition, and later destroyed it.[6] The blockade of Yatta is the first such action by Israel since the Itamar attack in 2011 and Israeli journalist Ron Ben-Yishai said it is an "effect" of Lieberman's recent appointment as defense minister.[38]

Reactions

Journalists set up outside of the Max Brenner cafe in Sarona Market, following a shooting in June, 2016
A makeshift monument in memorial of the victims at the site of the attack

Israel

Palestinians

International

Supranational

States

Non-recognized states

Other groups

Reporting controversies

Several Israeli newspapers accused news outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, the BBC of having omitted key facts about the story, such as the Palestinian identity of the perpetrators and some were accused for having given credence to arguments justifying the attack. CNN was criticized by Twitter users for putting the word terrorists in quotation marks, implying that CNN was calling into question whether or not the attackers were terrorists through its use of "scare quotes". CNN later changed the report and apologized, saying "As a result of an editing mistake, an earlier version of this story appeared to call into question whether the Tel Aviv attack was an act of terrorism. It undoubtedly was. The story was corrected."[67]

The BBC was criticized for not mentioning the Palestinian nationality of the perpetrators. Russia Today reported that "two ultra-Orthodox Jewish" gunmen carried out the attack, apparently based on the fact that the gunmen were dressed in black suits. This led to the suspicion that they were trying to disguise themselves as Orthodox Jews, but this theory was later discounted.[68] The Guardian and The Telegraph were criticized for referring to the attack as "shooting incidents".[69]

The Israeli newspaper the Jerusalem Post also criticized MSNBC reporter Ayman Mohyeldin for going "on a rambling, 35 second stream of conscious in which he managed to squeeze in four mentions of 'the occupation' and three mentions of Israeli politics 'shifting to the right' or the 'extreme right,' while talking of Palestinian 'frustration' and Israeli oppression."[70][71]

UN WATCH have criticized Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein referring to his refusal to call the June 9 Palestinian shooting of Israelis in Tel Aviv a terrorist attack, and his refusal to mention that the attackers were Palestinian. In addition, Zeid’s statement declined to call out Hamas leaders for celebrating the murder. UN Watch also criticized the fact that Al-Hussein devoted the bulk of his statement to condemning Israel’s response to the murders, which UN Watch said effectively justified the attackers by emphasizing the alleged “sense of injustice and frustration felt by Palestinians in this very tense time."[52]

Inspiration by ISIS

Following a month-long investigation, the Shin Bet security service announced that the terrorists were inspired by the Islamic State group.[72] Reportedly, this confirmed the assessment, previously made by Palestinian security services on the night of the attack.[72]

Though this was not an Islamic State-organized cell, that received instructions or assistance from the group, one of the terrorists had publicly supported the organization when he studied in Jordan, and the two men clearly committed the attack at Sarona Market out of solidarity with the jihadist group, photographing themselves with an ISIS flag in the background before executing the attack.[72]

Following the shooting, one of Israeli mainstream media resources - Ha'Aretz, wrote that first signs emerged of ISIS-inspired lone-wolf terrorism in Israel.[72] A similar explanation was given when Israeli-Arab terrorist Nashat Melhem murdered three Israelis in Tel Aviv on New Year’s Day, with the attacker reportedly radicalized by internet sites connected to ISIS.[72]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Minister says a terror 'infrastructure' exists in Yatta village".
  2. 1 2 "Four Israelis lost their lives in a terror attack at the city center of Tel Aviv". Magen David Adom. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  3. 1 2 "2 terrorists kill 4 in Tel Aviv; Hamas vows more Ramadan attacks". Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Hamas claims terrorists who killed 4 in Tel Aviv bloodbath as its own". The Times of Israel. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  5. 1 2
  6. 1 2 3 4 Levy, Elior; Blumental, Lior (9 June 2016). "Terrorists known to Palestinian Authorities, uncle in Israeli jail". Ynet. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  7. 1 2 Cohen, Gilli (4 July 2016). "Palestinians Behind Tel Aviv Attack Were Inspired by ISIS, Shin Bet Says". Haaretz. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  8. ↑ "Police official says Palestinians 'celebrating' terrorist attack that left 4 dead in Tel Aviv". FOX News. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "Palestinian media says shooters are family members from Yatta near Hebron". Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Blumenthal, Itay; Zitun, Yoav; Morag, Gilad (4 July 2016). "Sarona terrorists indicted, originally planned to attack train". Ynet. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  11. ↑ Berger, Gal. "גורם ביטחוני פלס': 1 המחבלים מיטא ח'אלד מח'אמרה איש חמאס, לומד באוניברס' צבאית בירדן (בעיר כּרכּ), בא לחופשת רמדאן. לא כל המקצועות בה צבאיים". Israeli Radio.
  12. ↑ "Sarona Market terrorists: 21-year-old Hamas members from Yatta". June 9, 2016.
  13. ↑ Berger, Gal. "לדבריו, המחבל השני אינו מזוהה חמאס ולא מוכר כבעל שיוך ארגוני". Israeli Radio.
  14. ↑ "Terrorist's father says his son's involvement in Tel Aviv shooting attack unexpected".
  15. ↑ Beaumont, Peter (8 June 2016). "Four dead in Tel Aviv market shooting".
  16. 1 2 "תיעוד: הירי בת"א דקה אחר דקה [Shooting in TLV: Minute after minute]". Channel 2 (in Hebrew). 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  17. ↑ Eli, Senior (9 June 2016). "פני הרשע: כך נראו המחבלים לפני הטבח [Face of evil: This is how the terrorists looked before the massacre]". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  18. 1 2 Kubovich, Yaniv; Efrati, Ido; Barak, Ravid (8 June 2016). "At Least four Killed, Seven Wounded in Shooting Attack at Food and Retail Center in Central Tel Aviv". Haaretz. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  19. ↑ Ari Gross, Judah (4 July 2016). "Sarona gunmen were 'inspired' by Islamic State, Shin Bet says". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  20. ↑ "Cop invited Tel Aviv shooter into his home before realizing who he was".
  21. 1 2 Kubovich, Yaniv (9 June 2016). "Cop Inadvertently Invited Terrorist Into His Home After Tel Aviv Attack". Haaretz. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  22. ↑ "Funerals for two Tel Aviv shooting victims announced". Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  23. ↑ "Ben Ari's father: A father burying his son is the hardest thing".
  24. 1 2 "Tel Aviv victims: professor, mother of 4, ex-commando, engaged woman". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
  25. ↑ "Hundreds attend funeral of Tel Aviv shooting victim Ido Ben Ari".
  26. ↑ "'Mila was supposed to get married soon'".
  27. ↑ "Ilana Naveh, Tel Aviv shooting victim, is buried in private funeral".
  28. ↑ "Prof. Michael Feige, killed in Tel Aviv shooting, recalled as kind, 'grandfatherly'". Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  29. 1 2 Cohen, Gilli; Ravid, Barak (9 June 2016). "Following Tel Aviv Attack, Israel Suspends All Permits Given to Palestinians for Ramadan". Haaretz. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  30. 1 2 Jones, Gareth; Nebehay, Stephanie (10 June 2016). "U.N. says Israel move on Palestinian permits may be collective punishment". Reuters. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  31. 1 2 Mulder, Emily (9 June 2016). "Palestinians reeling amid 'collective punishment' after Tel Aviv attacks". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  32. ↑ Cohen, Gilli; Efrati, Ido (9 June 2016). "Israel Seals Off West Bank and Gaza in Wake of Deadly Terror Attack in Tel Aviv". Haaretz. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  33. ↑ "Liberman orders moratorium on returning attackers' bodies". Times of Israel. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  34. ↑ Wroughton, Lesley; G Crosse (9 June 2016). "U.S. urges Israel not to punish innocent Palestinians for attack". Reuters. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  35. ↑ "Israel Police raid West Bank workshops in search of firearms".
  36. ↑ כהן, גילי; רביד, ברק; חורי, ג'קי (2016-06-09). "בעקבות הפיגוע אמש בת"א: הוקפאו כל ההיתרים שניתנו לפלסטינים לרגל הרמדאן". הארץ (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2016-07-18.
  37. ↑ "חדשות 0404 - פורטל החדשות הכי מעודכן בישראל". 0404. Retrieved 2016-07-18.
  38. ↑ Ben-Yishai, Ron (9 June 2016). "אפקט ליברמן: 20 אלף פלסטינים במצור [Lieberman effect: 20,000 Palestinians under siege]". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  39. ↑ Braun, Coral (June 9, 2016). "Netanyahu receives briefing at scene of Tel Aviv shooting, ensures 'we will respond'". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  40. ↑ Ben Zion, Ilan (June 9, 2016). "Netanyahu vows 'decisive' response to Tel Aviv attack". The Times of Israel. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai: Palestinian celebrations of terror result of 'occupation'". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  42. ↑ Levy, Elior (9 June 2016). "PA condemns terror attacks, fails to mention Tel Aviv shooting". Ynet. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  43. ↑ "Palestinian factions react to Tel Aviv attack as Israeli army closes off suspects' hometown". Maan. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  44. ↑ Senyor, Eli (9 June 2016). "Terrorists 'were acting like regular customers'". Ynet. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  45. ↑ "Hamas vows more Ramadan attacks; IDF deploys around shooters' village". timesofisrael.com. Times of Israel. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  46. ↑ "Fireworks in Hebron and Gaza After Four Israelis Killed in Terror Attack". Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  47. ↑ "UN envoy 'shocked' that Hamas welcomes Tel Aviv killings". Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  48. ↑ "חמאס: המחבלים מהפיגוע בתל אביב - פעילי הארגון - וואלה! חדשות".
  49. 1 2 "Palestinians celebrate terror attack in Tel Aviv, Saudis strongly condemn".
  50. ↑ "ברחבי הארץ: ערבים חוגגים את הרצחבשער שכם פצחו בריקודים, בטול כרם חלקו ממתקים • חפים מפשע".
  51. ↑ "Palestinians on Social Media Celebrate Tel Aviv Terrorist Attack; Call Carnage 'Sweeter Than Ramadan Prayer'". Algemeiner.com. Retrieved 2016-07-18.
  52. 1 2 "UN rights chief condemns Israel, won't call Tel Aviv shooting a terrorist attack". UN Watch. 10 June 2016.
  53. 1 2 Ben Zion, Illan (9 June 2016). "International community condemns 'horrific' Tel Aviv attack, Hamas hails it". Times of Israel. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  54. ↑ "Abbas Condemns Tel Aviv Attack as Hamas Praises Terrorists". haaretz. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  55. ↑ "German foreign minister condemns murder in Tel Aviv". Associated Press. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  56. ↑ "British PM 'sickened' by Tel Aviv terror attack, French President Holland expresses his country's support for Israel in fight against terrorism". European Jewish Press. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  57. ↑ "Attack in Tel Aviv". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (Spain). Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  58. ↑ "UK ambassador: 'No possible justification' for terrorism". Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  59. ↑ "World leaders condemn 'horrific' Tel Aviv terror attack". i24 News. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  60. ↑ "State Department condemns 'horrific' terror attack". Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  61. ↑ "US urges Israel not to use collective punishment". Middle East Monitor. 2016-06-10. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
  62. ↑ "Hillary Clinton: 'I stand in solidarity with the Israeli people'". Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  63. ↑ "Donald Trump condemns Tel Aviv Sarona Market attack".
  64. ↑ "Moscow strongly condemns terrorist attack in Tel Aviv — foreign ministry". Russian News Agency TASS. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  65. ↑ "I am appalled by the horrific attack in Tel Aviv. #Kosovo stands with #Israel. Our thoughts are with the victims and families".
  66. ↑ "Hezbollah praises 'heroic' Tel Aviv shooting".
  67. ↑ Black, Phil (9 June 2016). "Tel Aviv terror attack: 4 victims ID'd; Israel searches homes in West Bank". CNN. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  68. ↑ Sharon, Jeremy (9 June 2016). "International coverage of Sarona Market angers Israel activists, public diplomacy groups". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  69. ↑ Broad, Hannah (9 June 2016). "CNN deletes tweet, apologizes for headline which questioned Tel Aviv terror attack". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  70. ↑ "International coverage of Sarona Market angers Israel activists, public diplomacy groups". jpost. 2016-06-09.
  71. ↑ "Outrage at CNN for biased Tel Aviv terror attack title; Fox news anchor comes to Israel's defense". jpost. 2016-06-09.
  72. 1 2 3 4 5 "First signs emerge of ISIS-inspired lone-wolf terrorism in Israel - Israel News". Haaretz.com. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
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