Matza restaurant suicide bombing

Matza restaurant suicide bombing
Part of the Second Intifada militancy campaign
Matza restaurant suicide bombing is located in Northern Haifa region of Israel
Matza restaurant suicide bombing
The attack site
Native nameהפיגוע במסעדת מצה
Location32°47′19″N 35°0′9″E / 32.78861°N 35.00250°E / 32.78861; 35.00250
Haifa, Israel
DateMarch 31, 2002; 23 years ago (2002-03-31)
c. 3:00 pm (UTC+2)
Attack type
Suicide bomber
Deaths16 (+1 bomber)
Injured40+
PerpetratorHamas claimed responsibility
AssailantShadi Tobassi

The Matza restaurant suicide bombing occurred on March 31, 2002, when a Palestinian Hamas suicide bomber detonated his bomb inside the Matza restaurant in Haifa, Israel, near the Grand Canyon shopping mall, killing 16 people and injuring over 40.[1][2] Reporting has described the cafe as both "Arab-owned" and "owned by Israeli Jews, but run by Palestinian citizens of Israel".[1][3]

The perpetrators

The military wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it was in retaliation for Israeli raids on Palestinian cities and towns, including Ramallah where the then President of the Palestinian National Authority, Yasser Arafat, was under siege.[1][4] A Hamas spokesman stated that the suicide bomber was a 22-year-old Palestinian named Shadi Tubasi. Tubasi came from a refugee camp near Jenin area that had recently been invaded by Israeli forces.[3][1]

See also

References