2002 in Israel
Encyclopedia
Incumbents
- Prime Minister of IsraelPrime Minister of IsraelThe Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
– Ariel SharonAriel SharonAriel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
(LikudLikudLikud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
) - President of IsraelPresident of IsraelThe President of the State of Israel is the head of state of Israel. The position is largely an apolitical ceremonial figurehead role, with the real executive power lying in the hands of the Prime Minister. The current president is Shimon Peres who took office on 15 July 2007...
– Moshe KatsavMoshe KatsavMoshe Katsav is an Israeli politician. He served as the eighth President of Israel, a leading Likud member of the Israeli Knesset, and a Cabinet Minister in its government.... - Chief of General Staff - Shaul MofazShaul MofazLt. General Shaul Mofaz is an Israeli politician who serves as the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs And Defense Committee at the Knesset...
until July 9, Moshe Ya'alonMoshe Ya'alonMoshe "Bogie" Ya'alon is an Israeli politician and former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. He currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Likud, as well as the country's Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Affairs.-Early life:... - Government of Israel - 29th Government of IsraelTwenty-ninth government of IsraelThe twenty-ninth government of Israel was formed by Ariel Sharon on 7 March 2001, following his victory over Ehud Barak in the special election for Prime Minister in February...
Events
- January 28 – Channel 10 begins broadcasting.
- March 28 - 20,000 IDF reservists called up.
- May 28 – The Israeli reconnaissance satellite Ofek-5 is launched.
- April 1 - 20,000 Israeli army reservists mobilized.
- July 9 – Moshe Ya'alonMoshe Ya'alonMoshe "Bogie" Ya'alon is an Israeli politician and former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. He currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Likud, as well as the country's Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Strategic Affairs.-Early life:...
is appointed as the 17th Chief of StaffRamatkalThe Chief of the General Staff, also known as the Commander-in-Chief of the Israel Defense Forces is the supreme commander and Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. At any given time, the Chief of Staff is the only active officer holding the IDF's highest rank, Rav Aluf , which is usually...
of the Israel Defense ForcesIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
. - July 23 – The Tal Law is passed in the KnessetKnessetThe Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
by a majority of 51 against 41. The law gives legal status to the continuation of the exemption from mandatory military service granted to Israeli Ultra Orthodox JewsHaredi JudaismHaredi or Charedi/Chareidi Judaism is the most conservative form of Orthodox Judaism, often referred to as ultra-Orthodox. A follower of Haredi Judaism is called a Haredi ....
studying at a yeshivaYeshivaYeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
. - October 9 – Daniel KahnemanDaniel KahnemanDaniel Kahneman is an Israeli-American psychologist and Nobel laureate. He is notable for his work on the psychology of judgment and decision-making, behavioral economics and hedonic psychology....
receives the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for his work in Prospect theoryProspect theoryProspect theory is a theory that describes decisions between alternatives that involve risk i.e. where the probabilities of outcomes are known. The model is descriptive: it tries to model real-life choices, rather than optimal decisions.-Model:...
, becoming the first Israeli Nobel laureate in economics. - November 28 – 2002 Mombasa attacks: Three Israelis and 10 KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
ns are killed when a car bomb exploded in the lobby of the Israeli-owned beachfront Paradise Hotel, frequented almost exclusively by Israeli tourists near MombasaMombasaMombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
in KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. 21 Israelis and 60 Kenyans are wounded in the attack. About 20 minutes earlier, an unsuccessful attempt is made to shoot down an Arkia Israel AirlinesArkia Israel AirlinesArkia Israel Airlines , usually referred to as Arkia is an airline with its head office on the grounds of Sde Dov Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. It is Israel's second largest airline operating scheduled domestic and international services as well as charter flights to destinations in Western Europe...
Boeing 757Boeing 757The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
chartered tourist plane taking off from nearby Moi International AirportMoi International AirportMoi International Airport , also Mombasa International Airport, or Mombasa Airport, is an airport in Kenya.-Location:Mombasa Airport, , is located in Mombasa District, Coast Province, in the city of Mombasa, in a township called Port Reitz, in southeastern Kenya, along the Indian Ocean coast.Its...
using surface-to-air missiles; nobody is hurt on the plane, which lands safely in Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. The main suspect for both attacks is al Qaeda.
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
(also see Second Intifada)The most prominent events related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict which occurred during 2002 include:
- February 19 - Israel Defense ForcesIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
used explosives to destroy the five-storey main building and transmission tower of the Palestine Broadcasting CenterPalestinian Broadcasting CorporationThe Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation was established on 1 July 1994 and is within the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority. It has a subsidiary radio station known as the Voice Of Palestine and a satellite channel known as Palestinian Satellite Channel. Palestine TV first began...
in RamallahRamallahRamallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
claiming retaliation for the killing of six people by a Palestinian gunman linked to Fatah. The Israeli Government later singled out PBC for broadcasting material deemed to be anti-Semitic or that incited violence against Israeli citizens during the Second Intifada. - April – The Israeli government approved the construction of a continuous security barrierIsraeli West Bank barrierThe Israeli West Bank barrier is a separation barrier being constructed by the State of Israel along and within the West Bank. Upon completion, the barrier’s total length will be approximately...
which would separate the Palestinians in the West Bank and the Israeli population centers, thus prevent the infiltration of Palestinian Arab terrorists, particularly suicide bombers into Israeli population centers. Palestinian Arab terror attacks on Israelis subsequently drop by 90%. - August 14 – The Palestinian leader Marwan BarghoutiMarwan BarghoutiMarwan Hasib Ibrahim Barghouti is a Palestinian political figure. He is regarded as a leader of the First and Second Intifadas. Barghouti at one time supported the peace process, but later became disillusioned, and after 2000 went on to become the main figure behind the Al-Aqsa Intifada in the...
is sentenced to five life sentences after being convicted by a civilian Israeli court on charges of murdering Israeli civilians and membership in a terrorist organisation.
Notable Palestinian militant operations against Israeli targets
The most prominent Palestinian militant acts and operationsPalestinian political violence
Palestinian political violence refers to acts of violence undertaken to further the Palestinian cause. These political objectives include self-determination in and sovereignty over Palestine, the liberation of Palestine and establishment of a Palestinian state, either in place of both Israel and...
committed against Israeli targets during 2002 include:
- January 9 - Two armed Palestinians from HamasHamasHamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
attack an IDF outpost in south Israel and kill four soldiers before being killed themselves. - January 18 - Bat Mitzvah massacreBat Mitzvah massacreThe Bat Mitzvah massacre was a January 18, 2002 terrorist attack in Hadera, Israel, in which a Palestinian gunman killed six people and wounded 33 at a Bat Mitzvah celebration, a traditional Jewish celebration held for a 12-year-old girl.-The attack:...
: An al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade (AMB) gunman opens fire on a Bat Mitzvah celebration at HaderaHaderaHadera is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel approximately from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The city is located along of the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain...
, killing six Israelis before being killed himself. - January 22 - AMB gunman kills two in West Jerusalem before being shot dead by police.
- January 25 – Tel Aviv outdoor mall bombing2002 Tel Aviv outdoor mall bombingThe 2002 Tel Aviv outdoor mall bombing was a terrorist attack which occurred on 25 January 2002 in which a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself in Tel-Aviv, Israel, injuring at least 24 civilians....
: 20 people are injured by a suicide bomber from Islamic JihadIslamic Jihad Movement in PalestineThe Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine known in the West as simply Palestinian Islamic Jihad , is a small Palestinian militant organization. The group has been labelled as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and Israel...
(PIJ) near the Old Tel Aviv Central Bus StationOld Tel Aviv Central Bus StationThe Old Tel Aviv Central Bus Station was the main bus station of Tel Aviv between the years 1941 until 1993. The station served intercity bus routes as well as local city and suburban buses...
. - January 27 – Jaffa Street bombing2002 Jaffa Street bombingThe 2002 Jaffa Street bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on January 27, 2002 in which Wafa Idris, an 28-year-old Palestinian female suicide bomber, blew herself up in the center of Jerusalem, killing one person and injuring about 100 people....
: A suicide bombing attack in Jerusalem. An elderly Israeli is killed and 7 people are injured. The attack marks the first time a female suicide bomberFemale suicide bomberThough the majority of suicide bombers have been male, female suicide bombers have carried out a number of attacks.-History:Female suicide bombers have been employed in several conflicts, by a variety of organizations, against both military and civilian targets.*In Lebanon on April 9, 1985, Sana'a...
is used. FatahFatahFataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
claims responsibility for the attack. Wafa Idriss had been working as a volunteer for the Palestinian Red Crescent. - January 30 – Tayibe bombing. Palestinian collaborator Murad Abu al-Asal detonates suicide bomb which injures his two Shin Bet handlers.
- February 10 - Two Hamas gunmen kill two soldiers and wound four outside an army base in Beersheva before being shot dead.
- February 16 – Karnei Shomron Mall suicide bombingKarnei Shomron Mall suicide bombingThe Karnei Shomron Mall suicide bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on February 16, 2002 at Karnei Shomron. Two teenagers were killed in the attack....
: Two Israeli teenagers are killed in a suicide bombing at a pizzeria in the Israeli settlement of Karnei ShomronKarnei ShomronKarnei Shomron is an Israeli settlement and local council established in 1977 in the northwestern West Bank, east of Kfar Sava. It is north-east of Tel Aviv and north of Jerusalem. In 2006, the population of Karnei Shomron was 6,300...
in the northern West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. Another Israeli teenage girl is wounded in the attack and dies 11 days later. The PFLP claims responsibility. - February 18 – Ma'ale Adumim - Suicide car bombing. One soldier killed.
- February 18 - Kissufim crossingKissufimKissufim is a kibbutz in the northwestern Negev desert in Israel. Located adjacent to the Gaza Strip, it falls under the jurisdiction of Eshkol Regional Council. It sits at an altitude of 92 metres above sea level.- History :...
- AMB suicide bomb kills three Jewish settlers. - February 19 - AMB gunman kills six Israeli soldiers at an army outpost north of Jerusalem. The gunman escapes.
- February 22 – EfratEfratEfrat , or officially Efrata , is an Israeli settlement established in 1983 and a local council in the Judean Mountains of the West Bank. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this...
supermarket bombing attack. The attempt is foiled when the would-be bomber is shot dead by armed customers. No Israeli casualties. - February 27 – MaccabimModi'in-Maccabim-Re'utModi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut is a city in the Center District of Israel located approximately halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It was formed in 2003 by the merger of Modi'in and Maccabim-Re'ut...
bombing. A female suicide bomber armed by AMB, injures three soldiers. - March 2 – Yeshivat Beit Yisrael massacreYeshivat Beit Yisrael massacreThe Yeshivat Beit Yisrael massacre was a suicide bombing which occurred on March 2, 2002 at the entrance of the ultra-Orthodox Yeshiva "Beit Yisrael" located in downtown Jerusalem...
: 11 people, including five children, are killed in an AMB suicide bombing near a yeshivaYeshivaYeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
in the Haredi Beit YisraelBeit YisraelBeit Yisrael is a predominantly Haredi neighborhood in central Jerusalem, Israel. It is located just north of Mea Shearim.The name Beit Yisrael is taken from the verse in Ezekiel , in which Ezekiel prophesies to the hills and mountains of Israel, "I shall make numerous on you the people, the...
neighborhood in the center of Jerusalem. - March 3 - A sniper from AMB kills seven soldiers and three settlers at a checkpoint near OfraOfraOfra is an Israeli settlement located in the northern West Bank in the jurisdiction of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. It is situated on the main road between Jerusalem and Nablus , 25 km from Jerusalem and has 3,200 inhabitants ....
. The gunman escapes. - March 4 - An AMB gunman kills three Israelis in Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
before being shot dead. - March 5 – Egged bus No. 823 bombing: An 85-year-old Israeli is killed when a suicide bomber blows himself up on an Egged bus No. 823 as it enters the AfulaAfulaAfula is a city in the North District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley", referring to the Jezreel Valley. The city had a population of 40,500 at the end of 2009.-History:...
central bus station. - March 7 – Five Jewish settlers are killed and 23 are wounded by a Hamas gunman at Atzmona before he is shot dead. A PFLP suicide bomber injures five settlers in ArielAriel (city)Ariel is an Israeli settlement and a city in the West Bank. Ariel was established in 1978. Its population at the end of 2009 was 17,600, including 7,000 immigrants who came to Israel after 1990. It is the fourth largest Jewish settlement city in the West Bank., after Modi'in Illit, Beitar Illit,...
. - March 9 – Café Moment bombingCafé Moment bombingThe Café Moment bombing was a Palestinian terrorist attack in a coffee shop in downtown Jerusalem, Israel, on March 9, 2002, in which 11 civilians were killed and 54 wounded.- The attack :...
: A Hamas suicide bomber detonates a powerful explosive device in a cafe in Jerusalem killing 11 Israelis and injuring 54 others. Two AMB gunmen kill two Israelis, plus one Israeli Arab, and wound 24, in NetanyaNetanyaNetanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
before being shot dead. - March 14 - The AMB and PFLP both claim responsibility for a roadside bomb in Gaza which destroys a MerkavaMerkavaThe Merkava is a main battle tank used by the Israel Defense Forces. The tank began development in 1974 and was first introduced in 1978. Four main versions of the tank have been deployed. It was first used extensively in the 1982 Lebanon War...
tank and kills 3 soldiers. - March 17 – Egged bus No. 22 bombing: a suicide bomber from PIJ attacks an Israeli bus in French Hill injured 9.
- March 20 – Egged bus 823 bombing2002 Egged bus 823 bombingThe Umm al-Fahm bus bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on March 20, 2002 on an Egged bus which was passing through Umm al-Fahm in northern Israel...
: Seven Israelis, four soldiers and three civilians, killed by a suicide bomber from PIJ on an Egged bus No. 823 traveling from Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
to NazarethNazarethNazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
. - March 21 – King George Street bombingKing George Street bombingThe King George Street bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on March 21, 2002 outside a clothing store and toy shop on King George Street in Jerusalem...
: Three Israelis are killed and 86 others are injured when a AMB suicide bomber detonated a bomb, packed with metal spikes and nails, in the center of a crowd of shoppers on King George StreetKing George Street (Jerusalem)King George Street is a street in central Jerusalem, Israel. It was named for King George V on December 9, 1924.-History:King George Street was dedicated in honor of the seventh anniversary of the British conquest of Jerusalem under General Allenby...
in the center of Jerusalem. - March 27 – Passover massacrePassover massacreThe Passover massacre was a suicide bombing carried out by Hamas at the Park Hotel in Netanya, Israel on March 27, 2002, during a Passover seder. Thirty civilians were killed in the attack and 140 were injured...
: A Hamas suicide bomber enters the dining room of the Park Hotel in NetanyaNetanyaNetanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
, during the festive dinnerPassover SederThe Passover Seder is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. It is conducted on the evenings of the 14th day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, and on the 15th by traditionally observant Jews living outside Israel. This corresponds to late March or April in...
for PassoverPassoverPassover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
arranged by the hotel for 250 guests, and detonates an explosive device. 30 people are killed and about 140 wounded, all civilians. - March 28 - Hamas suicide bomber kills four Jewish settlers at Elon MorehElon MorehElon Moreh is an Israeli settlement located in the Samarian hills of the West Bank northeast of Nablus on the slopes of the Mount Kabir ridge....
. - March 29 – Kiryat HaYovel supermarket bombingKiryat HaYovel supermarket bombingThe Kiryat HaYovel supermarket bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on March 29, 2002 in which Ayat al-Akhras, an 18-year-old Palestinian female suicide bomber, blew herself up at the entrance of Kiryat HaYovel's main supermarket, killing two people and injuring 28...
: A 18-year-old Palestinian female suicide bomber blows herself up at the entrance of Kiryat HaYovel's main supermarketSupermarketA supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
, killing two people and injuring 28. - March 29 - Gunman enters NetzarimNetzarim (settlement)Netzarim was formerly an Israeli settlement established in Gaza in 1972. It began as a secular Nahal outpost of the Hashomer Hatzair movement; in 1984 it became an orthodox kibbutz. A few years later, the residents decided to change from a kibbutz to a village...
settlement and kills two Jewish settlers. - March 30 – Allenby Street coffee shop bombingCafé Moment bombingThe Café Moment bombing was a Palestinian terrorist attack in a coffee shop in downtown Jerusalem, Israel, on March 9, 2002, in which 11 civilians were killed and 54 wounded.- The attack :...
: An AMB suicide bomber explodes in a Tel Aviv café, wounding 32 people. President George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Secretary of State Colin PowellColin PowellColin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
(USA) call on Yasir ArafatYasser ArafatMohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
to condemn the wave of suicide bombings in Arabic, to his own people. Israeli spokespeople make similar demands. Arafat goes on television and swears in Arabic that he will "die a martyr, a martyr, a martyr". Members of AMB state that they will refuse any form of cease-fire, and that they will continue suicide bombings of civilians in Israel. - March 31 – Matza restaurant suicide bombingMatza restaurant massacreThe 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 Israeli civilians and injuring over 40 people.-The attack:The attack occurred at...
: A HamasHamasHamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
-affiliated bomber blows himself up in an Arab-owned restaurant in Haifa, killing 15 (including two whole families) and injuring over 40 people. - March 31 – EfratEfratEfrat , or officially Efrata , is an Israeli settlement established in 1983 and a local council in the Judean Mountains of the West Bank. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this...
Medical Center bombing. Four Jewish settlers wounded. - April 1 – Jerusalem Roadblock bombing: A 19-year-old Israeli police volunteer is killed in Jerusalem, when a Palestinian Arab suicide bomber driving toward the city center blows himself up after being stopped at a roadblock. FatahFatahFataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' BrigadesAl-Aqsa Martyrs' BrigadesThe al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades is a coalition of Palestinian nationalist militias in the West Bank. The group's name refers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
claim responsibility for the attack. - April 1 - Eleven Palestinian collaborators taken from Palestinian Authority prisons are killed.
- April 9 - Thirteen Israeli soldiers killed, JeninJeninJenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
refugee camp, when a Palestinian fighter blows up the house they are in. - April 10 – Yagur Junction bombingYagur Junction bombingThe Yagur Junction bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on April 10, 2002 on an Egged commuter bus line number 960 which was passing through Yagur Junction in northern Israel. 8 people were killed in the attack and 19 people were injured.-The attack:...
: Eight Israelis, four soldiers and four civilians, are killed and 22 others are wounded in a Hamas suicide bombing on an Egged bus No. 960, on route from HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
to Jerusalem, which exploded near Kibbutz YagurYagurYagur is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located on the slopes of Mount Carmel about 9 km southeast of Haifa, it is one of the two largest kibbutzim in the country, with a population of 1,124 in 2008. It falls under the jurisdiction of Zevulun Regional Council....
, east of Haifa. - April 12 – Mahane Yehuda Market bombing2002 Mahane Yehuda Market bombingThe 2002 Mahane Yehuda Market Bombing was a suicide bombings which occurred on April 12, 2002 at a bus stop located at the entrance to the Mahane Yehuda Market which is Jerusalem's main fruit and vegetable market. The site of the attack was chosen in order to cause maximum number of casualties...
: A Palestinian Arab female suicide bomber blows herself up at the entrance to Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem, killing seven Israelis and injuring 104. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' BrigadesAl-Aqsa Martyrs' BrigadesThe al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades is a coalition of Palestinian nationalist militias in the West Bank. The group's name refers to the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
claims responsibility for the attack. - April 27 - Two Hamas fighters in Israeli army uniform kill five Jewish settlers in AdoraAdoraAdora may refer to:* Adora , a town mentioned in the Apocrypha* Adora, Har Hebron, an Israeli settlement on the West Bank* Adora , a novel by Bertrice Small* Princess Adora, a cartoon character from She-Ra: Princess of Power...
. One of the attackers escapes. - May 7 – Rishon LeZion bombing2002 Rishon LeZion bombingThe 2002 Rishon LeZion bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on May 7, 2002 at a crowded game club located in the new industrial area of Rishon Lezion...
: A Palestinian Arab suicide bomber kills 15 and wounds 58 in a billiards and illegal gambling club in Rishon LeZion. Hamas' military wing claims responsibility. The political wing does not confirm. - May 8 – A Palestinian Arab suicide bomber badly injures himself near MegiddoMegiddo (place)Megiddo is a tell in modern Israel near Megiddo Kibbutz, known for its historical, geographical, and theological importance especially under its Greek name Armageddon. In ancient times Megiddo was an important city-state. Excavations have unearthed 26 layers of ruins, indicated a long period of...
, southeast of HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, when the explosives he is carrying go off prematurely. - May 19 – Netanya Market bombingNetanya Market bombingThe Netanya Market bombing was a suicide bombings which occurred on May 19, 2002 at the entrance to the main fruit and vegetable open-air market in Netanya. The site of the attack was chosen in order to cause maximum number of casualties. Three people were killed in the attack, and 56–59 were...
: A Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestinePopular Front for the Liberation of PalestineThe Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
(PFLP) suicide bomber, disguised as an Israeli soldier, kills two Israelis and wounds more than 50 in NetanyaNetanyaNetanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
. - May 20 – AfulaAfulaAfula is a city in the North District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley", referring to the Jezreel Valley. The city had a population of 40,500 at the end of 2009.-History:...
road bombing. One Israeli patrol-man injured. - May 22 – Rothschild Street bombing: Two Israelis (one of them a teenager) are killed in an AMB suicide bombing in Rothschild Street in the center of Rishon LeZion.
- May 23 – Pi Glilot bombingPi Glilot bombingThe Pi Glilot bombing was an attempt by a Palestinian terrorist to cause a massive explosion in the Pi Glilot LPG depot north of Tel Aviv. It occurred on May 23, 2002...
- May 24 – Studio 49 Disco bombing. An AMB suicide car bomb injures three.
- May 27 – Petah Tikva Mall bombing: An Israeli woman and her infant granddaughter, aged 14 months, are killed and 37 injured when an AMB suicide bomber detonated himself near an ice cream parlorIce cream parlorIce cream parlors are places that sell ice cream and frozen yogurt to consumers. Ice cream is normally sold in two varieties in these stores: soft-serve ice cream , and hard-packed, which has an assortment of flavors, as well as frozen yogurt, which is a low-fat alternative and tastes slightly...
outside a shopping mall in Petah TikvaPetah TikvaPetah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately...
. The attacker was cousin of Nablus AMB commander assassinated 22 May. - May 28 - Itamar. Palestinian gunman kills three Jewish settlers before being shot dead.
- June 5 – Megiddo Junction bus bombing: 17 Israeli, fourteen soldiers and three civilians, are killed when a car packed with a large quantity of explosives struck Egged bus No. 830 traveling from Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
to Tiberias at the Megiddo junctionMegiddo JunctionThe Megiddo Junction is an intersection of Highways 65 and 66 in northern Israel, located near kibbutz Megiddo. A major landmark is a large prison . Nearby are the sites of some ancient battles of Megiddo and the ruins of Megiddo .The five kilometre stretch of Highway 65 east towards Afula is...
near AfulaAfulaAfula is a city in the North District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley", referring to the Jezreel Valley. The city had a population of 40,500 at the end of 2009.-History:...
. The car explodes near the gasoline tank of the bus, causing it to burst into flames. Most of the casualties are IDFIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
soldiers who are on their way to their bases. PIJ claims responsibility for the attack. - June 7 - Karmel Tsur, Hebron. Two PFLP gunmen kill three Jewish settlers. One attacker is shot dead, the other escapes.
- June 11 – Herzliya shawarma restaurant bombing: A suicide bomber sets off a bomb in a restaurant in the Israeli coastal suburb of HerzliyaHerzliyaHerzliya is a city in the central coast of Israel, at the western part of the Tel Aviv District. It has a population of 87,000 residents. Named after Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, Herzliya covers an area of 26 km²...
, killing a 14-year-old Israeli girl whom was walking past the restaurant and wounding 15 others. - June 18 – Patt Junction Bus Bombing: A HamasHamasHamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
-affiliated Islamic law student boards an Egged bus No. 32A in Jerusalem and blows himself up with a explosive belt filled with metal balls for shrapnel. 19 Israelis killed, including one Arab, and over 74 wounded. - June 19 – French Hill Junction massacre2002 French Hill Junction massacreThe French Hill Junction massacre was a suicide bombing which occurred on June 19, 2002 in a crowded bus stop and hitchhiking post at the French Hill neighborhood in northeastern Jerusalem. The site of the attack was chosen in order to cause maximum number of casualties...
: Seven Israelis, including a five-year-old girl and her grandmother, are killed when a suicide bomber blows himself up at a crowded bus stop and hitchhiking post at the French HillFrench HillFrench Hill , also Giv'at Shapira is a neighborhood in northeastern Jerusalem. It is located on territory occupied during the Six-Day War in 1967, later annexed to Israel under the Jerusalem Law in 1980...
intersection in northern Jerusalem. - June 20 – Itamar attackItamar attack (2002)The Itamar attack, was an attack that took place on Thursday night of June 20th, 2002 around 21:00 in which two Palestinian militants broke into a civilian house in the Israeli settlement of Itamar in the West Bank, killing the Shabo family, murdering a mother and her three sons, while injuring two...
- July 16 – Immanuel bus attack: Nine Israelis, including an infant child, are killed in an attack on DanDan Bus CompanyDan Bus Company is an Israeli bus company based in Tel Aviv. It operates local bus service in the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area as well as some intercity bus services between the Gush Dan area and nearby regions such as Samaria, and a connection between Bne Brak and Jerusalem. Dan operates 1,200...
bus No. 189 traveling from Bnei Brak to Emmanuel in the northern West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. Two 20-kilo bombs are set off about 200 meters from the town's entrance, damaging the bus's front tires and forcing it off the road. The explosion damage the bus doors, trapping the passengers inside. The militants then started shooting at the bus, firing through the unprotected roof and throwing grenades through the narrow upper windows, which were not armored. AMB and PFLP claim responsibility. - July 17 – Neve Shaanan Street bombingNeve Shaanan Street bombingThe Neve Shaanan Street bombing was a double suicide bombing attack which occurred on July 17, 2002 in the Neve Shaanan street in Tel Aviv, near the Old Tel Aviv Central Bus Station. 5 people were killed in the attack and approximately 40 people were injured...
: Five people, two Israelis and two foreign workers, are killed and about 40 others are wounded in a double IJ suicide bombing on Neve Sha'anan Street near the Old Tel Aviv Central Bus StationOld Tel Aviv Central Bus StationThe Old Tel Aviv Central Bus Station was the main bus station of Tel Aviv between the years 1941 until 1993. The station served intercity bus routes as well as local city and suburban buses...
. - July 26 - AMB gunmen fire on two vehicles near Hebron. Four Jewish settlers killed.
- July 30 – Nevi'im Street bombing. Five wounded.
- July 31 – Hebrew University massacreHebrew University massacreThe Hebrew University massacre was a Palestinian terror attack which occurred on 31 July 2002 in a cafeteria at the Mount Scopus campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The attack killed 9 people, mostly American students, and injured about 100...
: A HamasHamasHamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
-affiliated member leaves a bag containing a bomb in the cafeteria of Hebrew University of JerusalemHebrew University of JerusalemThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, killing nine Jewish students (four Israeli, four American, one dual French/American), and injuring 85 others (different nationalities, including Arabs). Palestinian Arabs rally in GazaGazaGaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
waving Hamas flags to celebrate the attack. On August 17, Israeli Security Forces expose a terrorist cell of Hamas operatives in East Jerusalem that had been responsible for the attack. The members had been planning another attack at the time of their arrest. - August 4 – Meron Junction Bus 361 attackMeron Junction Bus 361 attackThe Meron Junction Bus 361 attack was a suicide bombing which occurred on August 4, 2002 on an Egged bus in the Meron junction in northern Israel near Safed. 9 people were killed in the attack and 38 people were injured....
: Nine people, three Israeli soldiers, two Israeli civilians, two Israeli Arabs and two Philippine workers, are killed in a Hamas suicide bombing on an Egged bus No. 361 traveling from HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
to SafedSafedSafed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
at the MeronMeronA meron or half-instanton is a Euclidean space-time solution of the Yang-Mills field equations. It is a singular non-self-dual solution of topological charge 1/2. The instanton is believed to be composed of two merons....
junction in northern Israel. Forty others, mostly soldiers, are injured. - August 5 – Umm al-FahmUmm al-FahmUmm al-Fahm is a city in the Haifa District of Israel with a population of 43,300, nearly all of whom are Arab citizens of Israel. The city is situated on the Umm al-Fahm mountain ridge, the highest point of which is Mt. Iskander , overlooking Wadi Ara...
junction bombing. Bomber killed, his accomplice injured. No other casualties. - September 5 - Gaza Strip. Two Israeli soldiers killed by a bomb under their Merkava tank.
- September 18 – Umm al-Fahm bombing: An Israeli policeman is killed and three others are wounded in an PIJ suicide bombing at a bus stop at the Umm al-FahmUmm al-FahmUmm al-Fahm is a city in the Haifa District of Israel with a population of 43,300, nearly all of whom are Arab citizens of Israel. The city is situated on the Umm al-Fahm mountain ridge, the highest point of which is Mt. Iskander , overlooking Wadi Ara...
junction. - September 19 – Allenby Street bus bombingAllenby Street bus bombingThe Allenby Street bus bombing was a suicide bombing that occurred on September 19, 2002 on an Dan bus in the center of Tel Aviv's business district. Six people were killed in the attack and approximately 70 were injured...
: A Hamas suicide bomber kills five Israelis and wounds more than 50 on a bus next to Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
's Great SynagogueGreat Synagogue (Tel Aviv)The Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv is located on Allenby Street, Tel Aviv, just east of the Shalom Tower. The building was designed by Yehuda Magidovitch in 1922 and completed in 1926. It was renovated in 1970 with a new external facade of arches....
. - October 10 – Geha road bombing: A Hamas suicide bomber kills a 71-year-old Israeli woman and injures several other at a bus stop at Bar Ilan Junction.
- October 11 – United States embassy guards in Tel Aviv, stop a Palestinian Arab suicide bomber from setting off a bomb in a crowded beachfront cafe.
- October 21 – Karkur junction suicide bombing: A suicide attack carried out by two members of the PIJ in the Israeli urban area of Wadi AraWadi AraWadi Ara or Nahal Iron , refers to an area within Israel that is mostly populated by Arabs. It is located northwest of the Green Line and is mostly within Israel's Haifa District. Today, Highway 65 runs through the wadi.-Geography:...
. 14 Israelis are killed in the attack and 40 are wounded. - October 27 – Sonol gas station bombingSonol gas station bombingThe Sonol gas station bombing was a double suicide bombing attack which occurred on October 27, 2002 near a Sonol gas station located at the entrance to the Israeli city Ariel. 3 people were killed in the attack and approximately 18 people were injured. All of the fatalities were IDF reservists...
: Three IsraeliIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
soldiers are killed in a Hamas suicide bombing at a gas station at the entrance to ArielAriel (city)Ariel is an Israeli settlement and a city in the West Bank. Ariel was established in 1978. Its population at the end of 2009 was 17,600, including 7,000 immigrants who came to Israel after 1990. It is the fourth largest Jewish settlement city in the West Bank., after Modi'in Illit, Beitar Illit,...
in the northern West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. About 20 people were wounded in the bombing. The soldiers were restraining the bomber when two settlers shot him detonating the bomb. - November 4 – Kfar Sava shopping mall bombing: Two Israelis, a security guard and a civilian, are killed by an PIJ suicide bomber whom detonates himself at a Kfar Sava shopping mall.
- November 10 - AMB gunmen kills five Israelis in a kibbutz, north Israel. The gunman escapes.
- November 15 - Hebron ambush2002 Hebron ambushThe 2002 Hebron ambush took place in the Wadi an-Nasara neighborhood in Hebron in the West Bank on November 15, 2002. Israeli forces were subjected to a series of ambushes by fighters from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Twelve Israeli combatants, including three officers, were killed in the battle,...
: Palestinian gunmen from PIJ ambush a detail of soldiers, border police and settler security officials close to the Ibrahim Mosque, HebronHebronHebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
. Three of the gunmen and 12 Israelis (4 soldiers, 5 border police, 3 settler guards) are killed including the Israeli army commander in Hebron, Colonel Dror Weinberg. - November 21 – Kiryat Menachem bus bombing: A Hamas-affiliated suicide bomber blows himself up on a crowded Egged bus No. 20 in Jerusalem, killing eleven people, and wounding over 50.
- November 22 - Two PIJ suicide bombers injure four Israeli soldiers in a patrol boat, Gaza.
- November 27 - Gaza: PFLP suicide bomber. No Israelis injured.
- November 28 – Beit She'an attack2002 Beit She'an attackThe 2002 Beit She'an attack, which took place during November 28, 2002, was a terrorist attack carried out by members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the city of Beit She'an, Israel...
: Six Israelis are killed when two AMB gunmen open fire and throw grenades at the LikudLikudLikud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
polling station in Bet She'anBet She'anis a city in the North District of Israel which has played an important role historically due to its geographical location at the junction of the Jordan River Valley and Jezreel Valley...
, where party members are casting their votes in the Likud primary. - December 27 - Two PIJ gunmen enter Otniel settlement killing two Jewish settlers and two Israeli soldiers.
Notable Israeli military operations against Palestinian militancy targets
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
operations (military campaign
Military campaign
In the military sciences, the term military campaign applies to large scale, long duration, significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of inter-related military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war...
s and military operations) carried out against Palestinian militants during 2002 include:
- January 2 - Karine A Affair: IDFIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
Shayetet 13Shayetet 13Shayetet 13 is the elite naval commando unit of the Israeli Navy. The unit is considered one of the primary Special Forces units of the Israel Defense Forces . S'13 specializes in sea-to-land incursions, counter-terrorism, sabotage, maritime intelligence gathering, maritime hostage rescue, and...
naval commando captures the Palestinian AuthorityPalestinian National AuthorityThe Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
owned freighterCargo shipA cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
"Karin A" in the Red SeaRed SeaThe Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
, which was on its way to the shores of the Gaza StripGaza Stripthumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. The vessel is found to be carrying 50 tons of weapons from IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
believed to be intended for Palestinian militants' use against Israelis. The weapons found on the ship include short-range Katyusha rockets, antitankAnti-tank warfareAnti-tank warfare was created by the need to seek technology and tactics to destroy tanks and their supporting infantry during the First World War...
missiles and high explosives. - January 12 - The Israeli army assassinates al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade member Ra'id Karmi in TulkarmTulkarmTulkarem or Tulkarm is a Palestinian city in the northern Samarian mountain range in the Tulkarm Governorate in the extreme northwestern West Bank adjacent to the Netanya and Haifa districts to the west, the Nablus and Jenin Districts to the east...
. - January 22 - The Israeli army kills West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
leader of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam BrigadeIzz ad-Din al-Qassam BrigadesThe Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades is the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist fundamentalist socio-political organisation Hamas. Created in 1992, under the direction of Yahya Ayyash, the primary objective of the group was to build a coherent military organisation to support the goals of...
(IQB), Yusaf Suragji, with three other HamasHamasHamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
members in NablusNablusNablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
. - January 22 - The Israeli army fire missiles at a car in Khan YunisKhan YunisKhan Yunis - often spelt Khan Younis or Khan Yunnis - is a city and adjacent refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics the city, its refugee camp, and its immediate surroundings had a total population of 180,000 in 2006...
killing senior Hamas member Adil Hamdan (Bakr Hamdan). Another six Palestinians are killed in other incidents. - February 1 - The Israeli army demolish the Palestine Broadcasting Center in Gaza City. Six Palestinians are killed in Brazil Refugee CampRafahRafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...
. - February 4 - The Israeli army fires missiles at a car near RafahRafahRafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...
, killing five members of the PFLPPopular Front for the Liberation of PalestineThe Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Palestinian Marxist-Leninist organisation founded in 1967. It has consistently been the second-largest of the groups forming the Palestine Liberation Organization , the largest being Fatah...
including wanted man Ayman Bihdari. - February 16 - In JeninJeninJenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
the Israeli army use a remote-controlled bomb to kill Nazih al-Siba', a local Hamas leader. - February 19 - The Israeli navy fire a missile into Yasir Arafat's compound in Gaza City killing 4 members of Force 17Force 17Force 17 was a commando and special operations terror unit of the Palestinian Fatah movement and later of the Office of the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority. It was formed in the early 1970s by Ali Hassan Salameh ....
. Later in the day the army fire 18 shells into the compound killing 5 Preventive Security Force (PSF) officers. - February 20 - An Israeli army incursion into NablusNablusNablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
kills nine Palestinians. A further seven Palestinians are killed in other incidents. - February 28 - Operation Colorful Journey. The Israeli army attacks Balata refugee campBalataBalata Camp is a Palestinian refugee camp established in the northern West Bank in 1950, adjacent to the city of Nablus. It is the largest refugee camp in the West Bank. Balata Camp is densely populated with 30,000 residents in an area of 0.25 square kilometers.-History:In 1950, the UN gave the...
and JeninJeninJenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
. At least eleven Palestinians are killed including Balata AMB leader Kayid Abu Mustafa and six PSF officers. - March 4 - In an apparent attempt to kill Hamas politician, Hussein Abu Kuwayk, the Israeli army fires rockets at a truck in RamallahRamallahRamallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
killing his wife and 3 children as well as two bystanders. - March 5 - Israeli helicopters fire a missile at a car in RamallahRamallahRamallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
killing three, including AMB members Muhannad Abu Halawa and Fawzi Murrar. - March 6 - Thirteen Palestinians are killed in various incidents. Those killed included senior Hamas member 'Abd al-Nassar Ghazal.
- March 7 - Sixteen Palestinians are killed in various incidents, including two ambulance workers.
- March 8 - Khuza'a, Khan Yunis. The Israeli army kill 16 Palestinians including PSF regional commander Major General Ahmad Mifraj. A further 24 Palestinians are killed in other incidents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The highest single-day death toll since the al-Aqsa intifada began.
- March 11 - An Israeli army raid into Jabaliya Refugee Camp kills 18 Palestinians. A further six Palestinians are killed elsewhere.
- March 12 - 20,000 Israeli soldiers with 150 tanks attack AmariAmariAmari Province was a province on the island of Crete in Greece. Much of the history of Crete took place near the Psiloriti Range within Amari. One of the major geographic features of Amari is the Amari Valley, a landform of high elevation known for olive cultivation...
, Ramallah. 30 Palestinians killed during the day. - March 14 - Six Palestinians killed in Tulkarm including senior AMB member Mutasim Makhluf.
- Operation Defensive ShieldOperation Defensive ShieldOperation Defensive Shield was a large-scale military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces in 2002, during the course of the Second Intifada. It was the largest military operation in the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War. The operation was an attempt by the Israeli army to stop the...
(29 March – 3 May 2002) – Large-scale counter-terrorist operation conducted by the IDFIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
into Palestinian towns and villages in the West BankWest BankThe West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
aimed to halt Palestinian suicide bombings against civilians in Israel during the Second Intifada, which results in extensive damage to terrorist infrastructure and an important decrease of Palestinian attacks.- Battle of JeninBattle of JeninThe Battle of Jenin took place in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. Israel Defense Forces entered the camp, and other areas under the administration of the Palestinian Authority, during the Second Intifada, as part of Operation Defensive Shield...
(April 1–11) – Israel attacked Palestinian militants in the city of JeninJeninJenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
. - Battle of BethlehemSiege of the Church of the Nativity in BethlehemThe Siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem lasted from April 2 to May 10, 2002 in Bethlehem in the West Bank. As part of Operation Defensive Shield, the Israel Defense Forces occupied Bethlehem and tried to capture wanted Palestinian militants. Dozens of them fled into the Church of the...
(April 2 – May 10) – Israel occupied Bethlehem and tried to capture wanted Palestinian militants who were hiding in the Church of the Nativity. - Battle of Nablus (April 3–8) – Israel attacked Palestinian militants in the city of NablusNablusNablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
.
- Battle of Jenin
- April 3 - Israeli army kill six Palestinians in Jenin. One Israeli reservist killed.
- April 5 - IQB regional commander, Qays Udwan, and five other Hamas members, are killed by the Israeli army in TubasTubasTubas or Toubas is a small Palestinian city in the northeastern West Bank, located northeast of Nablus, a few kilometers west of the Jordan River. A city of over 16,000 inhabitants, it serves as the economic and administrative center of the Tubas Governorate. Its urban area consists of 2,271 dunams...
. Twelve Palestinians are killed in Nablus when the Israeli army destroy large sections of the eastern market area. - April 6 - At least fifty Palestinians and five Israeli soldiers are killed as Operation Defensive Shield continues.
- April 7 - At least 14 Palestinians are killed by the Israeli army in Nablus.
- April 7 - Ansar IIIKtzi'ot PrisonKtzi'ot Prison is an Israeli detention facility located in the Haluza sand dunes region. It is Israel's largest detention facility in terms of land area, encompassing ....
prison camp for Palestinian detainees is re-opened. - April 8 - Israeli army kill 30 Palestinians in Jenin Refugee Camp. Two Israeli soldiers are killed.
- April 10 - The Israeli army kill eleven Palestinian in Nablus old city.
- April 15 – Palestinian political figure Marwan BarghoutiMarwan BarghoutiMarwan Hasib Ibrahim Barghouti is a Palestinian political figure. He is regarded as a leader of the First and Second Intifadas. Barghouti at one time supported the peace process, but later became disillusioned, and after 2000 went on to become the main figure behind the Al-Aqsa Intifada in the...
, who was accused by the Israeli authorities of the murder of Israeli civilians and attacks on Israeli soldiers, is captured by the Israel Defense ForcesIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
in Palestinian AuthorityPalestinian National AuthorityThe Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
administered city of RamallahRamallahRamallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
. - April 22 - Israeli army in Hebron assassinate senior AMB member Marwan Zallum.
- April 24 - Senior AMB member Yacub Sarayra is assassinated in Bani Na'imBani Na'imBani Na'im is a Palestinian town in the southern West Bank located east of Hebron in the Hebron Governorate. The town had a population of 20,084 inhabitants in 2007...
. A second Palestinian is also killed. - April 26 - Local Qalqilya PFLP leader, Ra'id Nazil is killed in an Israeli army raid.
- April 28 - Two Jewish settlers are arrested attempting to place a bomb at the Maqasid Hospital, Jerusalem.
- April 29 - The Israeli army launch a major pre-dawn incursion into HebronHebronHebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
. Ten Palestinians are killed including wanted Hamas member, Tarik al-Dufashi. - May 1 - Six Palestinians trapped in Yasir Arafat's compound in Ramallah, who were wanted by the Israelis, surrender themselves into British/US custody.
- May 3 - Israeli army raid Nablus house and kill senior Hamas member, Ali Hudairi, and four others. One Israeli soldier is killed.
- May 14 - Israeli army assassinates two Palestinian intelligence officers, HalhulHalhulHalhul is a Palestinian city located in the southern West Bank, north of Hebron in the Hebron Governorate. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the city had a population of 22,108 mostly Muslim inhabitants in 2007.- History :...
. - May 16 - BeituniaBeituniaBeitunia also Bitunya is a Palestinian town located west of Ramallah and north of Jerusalem. The town is in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate in the central West Bank...
. The Israeli army assassinates wanted PSF officer Ahmad Ghanem. - May 22 - Israeli army fire rockets, assassinating AMB Nablus commander Mahmud Titi, in BalataBalataBalata Camp is a Palestinian refugee camp established in the northern West Bank in 1950, adjacent to the city of Nablus. It is the largest refugee camp in the West Bank. Balata Camp is densely populated with 30,000 residents in an area of 0.25 square kilometers.-History:In 1950, the UN gave the...
refugee camp. Two other AMB members and a bystander are also killed. IJ member, Khalid Zakami, is killed in an unexplained explosion, Jenin. - June 12 - The Israeli army kill eight Palestinians in Gaza.
- June 17 - Israeli army assassinate local al Khadir AMB leader, Walid Sbeh.
- June 18 - Islamic Jihad (PIJ) Student leader, Yusif Bisharat, is assassinated by the Israeli army in Hebron.
- June 19 - Israeli army starts barring all Palestinians with West Bank ID cards from entering Jerusalem.
- June 22 – Operation Determined PathOperation Determined PathOperation Determined Path was a military operation carried out by the Israel Defense Forces, starting June 22, 2002, following Operation Defensive Shield, with the goal of reaching some of the unreached objectives set forth for Defensive Shield, especially in the northern West Bank.-Background:In...
begins. - June 24 - Israeli army assassinate two IQB leaders, Yasir Raziq and 'Amr Kufa. The two drivers of the cars destroyed in the missile attack, as well as a further two passengers, are also killed. Thirteen bystanders are injured.
- June 24 - US halt all direct dealing with Yasir Arafat for allegedly funding 19 June, French Hill, suicide attack.
- June 30 - Senior AMB member, Muhammad Tahir, is assassinated by the Israeli army in Nablus. A member of Hamas is also killed.
- July 4 - Senior AMB members, Jihad al-Omarayn and Wa'il al-Nimral are killed by a bomb in their car. Presumed to be an Israeli assassination.
- July 9 - PIJ member, Mu'ammar Daraghma, is fatally shot by Israeli soldiers while driving near Jenin in a presumed assassination.
- July 22 – An Israeli warplane fires a one ton bomb at an apartment in a densely populated neighborhood of Gaza City, killing Salah Shehade, top commander of Hamas's military wing (the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam BrigadesIzz ad-Din al-Qassam BrigadesThe Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades is the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist fundamentalist socio-political organisation Hamas. Created in 1992, under the direction of Yahya Ayyash, the primary objective of the group was to build a coherent military organisation to support the goals of...
), who headed Israel's most wanted list and whom Israel accuses of masterminding several terror attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians in the Gaza stripGaza Stripthumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
and in Israel proper during the Al-Aqsa IntifadaAl-Aqsa IntifadaThe Second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada and the Oslo War, was the second Palestinian uprising, a period of intensified Palestinian-Israeli violence, which began in late September 2000...
. The apartment building is flattened and 14 civilians are killed including Shehade's wife and nine children. The attack occurred hours after AMB, TanzimTanzimTanzim is a militant faction of the Palestinian Fatah movement.-Overview:The Tanzim militia, founded in 1995 to counter Palestinian Islamism, is widely considered to be an armed offshoot of Fatah with its own leadership structure...
, Hamas, and IJ had agreed to declare a unilateral cease-fire. - July 28 - Curfew in Nablus lifted for the fifth time in forty days.
- August 2 - Israeli army execute Hamas member, Amjad Jabour, outside his home, SalimSalimSalim is an Arabic given name meaning safe, related names are Selima, Salima, Saleemah, and Salma...
, Nablus. - August 5 - BurqaBurqaA burqa is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic religion to cover their bodies in public places. The burqa is usually understood to be the woman's loose body-covering , plus the head-covering , plus the face-veil .-Etymology:A speculative and unattested etymology...
village. Israeli army assassinate AMB member, Khalid Sayf. A Palestinian bystander is also killed. - August 6 - Jenin. AMB members Ali Ajuri and Murad Marshud, assassinated by air to surface missile.
- August 7 - Israeli army commandos assassinate Tulkarm local AMB commander, Ziad Da'as. Two Palestinian bystanders also killed.
- August 7 - Khan Yunis. An Israeli army sniper kills Hamas member Hussam Hamdan, son of top Hamas political leader Ahmad Nimr.
- August 12 - Yamun, Jenin. Israeli soldiers take AMB member Ghazal Frayhat into custody before fatally shooting him.
- August 14 - TubasTubasTubas or Toubas is a small Palestinian city in the northeastern West Bank, located northeast of Nablus, a few kilometers west of the Jordan River. A city of over 16,000 inhabitants, it serves as the economic and administrative center of the Tubas Governorate. Its urban area consists of 2,271 dunams...
. Israeli army fire rockets into a house killing senior Hamas member Nasir Jarrar. The victim was wheelchair bound having lost one arm and both legs in previous Israeli attempts to kill him. - August 19 - Israeli army hands control of BethlehemBethlehemBethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
back to the PSF. - August 20 - Ramallah. Israeli commandos assassinate senior PFLP member Muhammad Saadat, brother of the head of the PFLP, Ahmad Saadat.
- August 20 - Tulkarm. Israeli army assassinates tanzim member, Afsam Salim.
- August 23 - Israeli army kill AMB Jenin commander Muhammad al-Ott, in a shoot-out.
- August 31 - TubasTubasTubas or Toubas is a small Palestinian city in the northeastern West Bank, located northeast of Nablus, a few kilometers west of the Jordan River. A city of over 16,000 inhabitants, it serves as the economic and administrative center of the Tubas Governorate. Its urban area consists of 2,271 dunams...
. Israeli army fire four missiles at a car in an attempt to assassinate local AMB leader, Jihad Sawafta. Kills one AMB member, Rafat Daraghma and two teenagers in the car. One missile strikes a house killing two children. - September 1 - Israeli army shoot dead four unarmed Palestinians in Hebron.
- September 10 - Israeli army raid kills wanted Palestinian Mahmud Harfush.
- September 13 - Gaza. Unexplained explosion kills three Palestinians including wanted FatahFatahFataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
member Iyad Sharif. - September 19 - Operation Matter of Time to isolate Yasir Arafat.
- September 24 - 90 Israeli tanks with bulldozers and helicopters move into Gaza City and Bayt LahiaBeit LahiaBeit Lahia is a city located north of Jabalia, near Beit Hanoun and the 1949 Armistice Line with Israel. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the city had a population of 59,540 in mid-year 2006. Hamas, an Islamist party, took control of it during the 2005 municipal...
. Nine Palestinians are killed including local AMB leader Muhammad Kishku and senior IQB member Yasin Nassar. - September 26 - Israeli army fire two missiles at two carts in an attempt to assassinate most wanted member of IQB, Muhammad Dayif. Two Hamas members killed and thirty bystanders injured.
- September 26 - Tulkarm. Israeli army kill senior Hamas member Nashat Abu Jabara and demolish his home. One Israeli soldier killed.
- September 27 - Near Hebron. Israeli army kill wanted Palestinian Muhammad Yaghmur.
- September 29 - Israeli army end siege of Yasir Arafat's compound in Ramallah.
- October 6 - PIJ member Samir Nursi killed in Jenin refugee camp following exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers.
- October 7 - Israeli army sends 40 tanks with helicopters into Khan Yunis. Fourteen Palestinians killed.
- October 12 - AMB member Muhammad Ubayyat killed by exploding phone, in what is believed to have been an Israeli attempt to assassinate his brother, BethlehemBethlehemBethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
tanzim commander Nassir Ubayyat. - October 14 - Nablus. Two PIJ members, Wassim Saba'na and Muhammad Musa, assassinated.
- October 17 - Israei army shells residential area of Rafah. Six Palestinians killed, including two women, two teenagers and a nine-year-old.
- October 25 – Hundreds of Israeli soldiers, backed by scores of tanks and other military vehicles, take control of the Palestinian AuthorityPalestinian National AuthorityThe Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
administered city of JeninJeninJenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
in response to a suicide bombing that killed 14 people. - October 29 - TubasTubasTubas or Toubas is a small Palestinian city in the northeastern West Bank, located northeast of Nablus, a few kilometers west of the Jordan River. A city of over 16,000 inhabitants, it serves as the economic and administrative center of the Tubas Governorate. Its urban area consists of 2,271 dunams...
. Israeli army undercover unit assassinate senior Hamas member Asim Sawafta. - October 30 - Nablus. Israeli commandos assassinate PA intelligence officer, Ajid Mansur.
- October 31 - Jenin. Operation Vanguard. Ends 10 November.
- October 32 - Three Hamas members killed in an explosion. Hamas spokesman, Abdel Aziz al-RantissiAbdel Aziz al-RantissiDr. Abdel Aziz Ali Abdulmajid al-Rantissi ; 23 October 1947 – 17 April 2004) was the co-founder of the militant Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas with Sheikh Ahmed Yassin....
acknowledges that they were probably preparing a bomb. - November 4 - Nablus. Israeli army fire missile at a car assassinating wanted Hamas member Hamid Sidr. Another Hamas member, Firas Abu Ghazala is also killed.
- November 9 - Jenin. Israeli army assassinates PIJ leader Iyad Sawalha in a raid on his house.
- November 15 - Tulkarm. Israeli army undercover unit assassinate Hamas member Mahmud Obeid.
- November 17 - Israeli army undercover unit attempt to kill Riad 'Abd al Ghani, in Tulkarm. Kill his brother.
- November 19 - Israeli army assassinates AMB member Tariq Zaghal in Tulkarm. Three bystanders killed.
- November 22 - Senior UNRWA official Iain Hook is shot dead by an Israeli army sniper while inside the UNRWA compound in Jenin refugee camp.
- November 26 - An Israeli rocket attack on a house in Jenin refugee camp kills AMB Jenin commander Ala' Ahmad Sabbagh and IQB Jenin commander Imad Nasharti.
- December 4 - Israeli army fire five missiles into a building in Gaza City killing Palestine Resistance Committee (PRC) member Mustafa Sabah who is reported to be the inventor of an anti-tank bomb used in earlier attacks.
- December 4 - In Hebron the Israeli army shoot dead two PIJ members, Sami Shawer and Ahmad Srour.
- December 6 - Forty Israeli tanks enter Bureji refugee camp searching for PRC leader Ayman Shishniyya. Kill ten Palestinians including two UNRWA workers.
- December 7 - Israeli army assassinate PIJ member 'Abd al-Hadi Omar near Jenin.
- December 10 - In a possible assassination in Khan YunisKhan YunisKhan Yunis - often spelt Khan Younis or Khan Yunnis - is a city and adjacent refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics the city, its refugee camp, and its immediate surroundings had a total population of 180,000 in 2006...
the Israeli army kill Hamas member Yasin al-Agha. In BalataBalataBalata Camp is a Palestinian refugee camp established in the northern West Bank in 1950, adjacent to the city of Nablus. It is the largest refugee camp in the West Bank. Balata Camp is densely populated with 30,000 residents in an area of 0.25 square kilometers.-History:In 1950, the UN gave the...
refugee camp the Israeli army kill wanted Palestinian Usama Badra. - December 12 - Gaza Strip. Israeli army shell-fire kills five unarmed labourers.
- December 13 - Nur al-Shams refugee camp. Israeli army assassinates Hamas's Tulkarm military commander, Tariq 'Abid Rabbuh.
- December 13 - Bethlehem. Israeli army kill Hamas member Jadallah Shuka.
- December 16 - The Israeli army shoots dead two armed Hamas members trying to enter Israel from the Gaza Strip. Elsewhere in the Gaza Strip the Israeli army kill two civilians in separate incidents.
- December 23 - Jenin. Israeli army assassinates two wanted Hamas members. Shaman Suduh and Mustafa Baqash.
- December 25 - Nablus. Israeli army shoot senior Hamas member, Talib Abu Hawash. He bleeds to death after being denied medical attention over several hours.
- December 26 - Tulkarm. Israeli army assassinate local AMB head Jamal Yahya. In Ramallah a car is ambushed killing Hamas member Bassam Ashqar. In QabatiyyaQabatiyaQabatiya or Qabatia is a Palestinian town located in the northern West Bank 6 km south of the city of Jenin. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of 49,198 in 2007....
local PIJ leader, Yusif Abu Rub, is also assassinated. An Israeli undercover enter a hospital in Ramallah and kill wanted man, Samir al-Shamali, who was working as a guard. Six other Palestinians are killed by the Israeli army during the day.
Notable deaths
- April 10 – Haim Cohn (b. 19111911 in Germany-National level:* Kaiser - Wilhelm II* Chancellor - Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg-Kingdoms:* King of Bavaria - Otto of Bavaria* King of Prussia - Kaiser Wilhelm II* King of Saxony - Frederick Augustus III of Saxony...
), German-born Israeli jurist and politician. - October 2 – Haim Yosef ZadokHaim Yosef Zadok-Early life:Zadok was born in 1913 in Rava-Ruska in Eastern Galicia in Austria-Hungary . He studied philosophy and Jewish studies at the University of Warsaw. He was a member of the Gordonia youth movement in Poland and in the "Poale Zion Federation" Party.In 1935 he immigrated to the British...
(b. 1913), Austro-Hungarian (Galicia)-born Israeli jurist and politician. - October 11 – Maxim LevyMaxim LevyMaxim Levy was an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Gesher and One Israel between 1996 and 2002, as well as mayor of Lod between 1983 and 1996.-Biography:...
(b. 1950), Moroccan-born Israeli politician. - October 15 – Yaakov (Ze'ev) FarkashZe'ev (caricaturist)Yaakov Farkash , better known by the pen name Ze'ev , was an Israeli caricaturist and illustrator.- Early life and World War II :...
(b. 1923), Hungarian-born Israeli cartoonist and illustrator. - September 7 – Uziel GalUziel GalUziel "Uzi" Gal , born Gotthard Glas , was a German-born Israeli gun designer, best remembered as the designer and namesake of the Uzi submachine gun....
(b. 19231923 in GermanyEvents in the year 1923 in Germany.-National level:President*Friedrich Ebert Chancellor*Wilhelm Cuno to 12 August, then from 13 August Gustav Stresemann to 30 November, then Wilhelm Marx -Events:* 11 January - French and Belgian troops enter the Ruhr in the Occupation of the Ruhr because of...
), German-born Israeli gun designer best remembered as the designer and namesake of the Uzi submachine gunUzi submachine gunThe Uzi is a family of Israeli open bolt, blowback-operated submachine guns. Smaller variants are considered to be machine pistols. The Uzi was one of the first weapons to use a telescoping bolt design which allows for the magazine to be housed in the pistol grip for a shorter weapon.The first Uzi...
. - November 11 – Yisrael AmirYisrael AmirLt. Col. Yisrael Amir was the first commander of the Israeli Air Force. Amir was born in Russia, moving to the British Mandate of Palestine in 1923. Amir then began his military career by joining the newly created Haganah, a Jewish paramilitary group...
(b. 1903), Russian (Lithuania)-born Israeli HaganahHaganahHaganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
member, first commander of the Israeli Air Force. - November 11 – Esther Raziel-NaorEsther Raziel-NaorEsther Raziel-Naor was a Revisionist Zionist, Irgun leader and Israeli politician. She was the sister of fellow Irgun leader, David Raziel.-Early life:...
(b. 1911), Russian (Belarus)-born Israeli jurist and politician. - November 17 – Abba EbanAbba EbanAbba Eban was an Israeli diplomat and politician.In his career he was Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Education Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and ambassador to the United States and to the United Nations...
(b. 19151915 in South Africa-Events:* 1 May - General Louis Botha, Prime Minister of South Africa, leads the army in the occupation of German South West Africa* 9 July - Dr Theodore Seitz, governor of German South West Africa, surrenders to General Louis Botha at the farm Khorab, between Otavi and Tsumeb-Births:* 2 February –...
), South African-born Israeli foreign affair minister. - Full date unknown – Yaakov Ben-TorYaakov Ben-Tor- Biography :Ben-Tor was born in the Baltic city of Königsberg, East Prussia, Germany in 1910 and emigrated to the then British Mandate of Palestine in 1933.- See also :*List of Israel Prize recipients...
(b. 19101910 in Germany-National level:* Kaiser - Wilhelm II* Chancellor - Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg-Kingdoms:* King of Bavaria - Otto of Bavaria* King of Prussia - Kaiser Wilhelm II* King of Saxony - Frederick Augustus III of Saxony...
), German-born Israeli geologist.
See also
- 2002 in Israeli film2002 in Israeli filmA list of films produced by the Israeli film industry in 2002.-2002 releases:-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...
- Israel at the 2002 Winter OlympicsIsrael at the 2002 Winter OlympicsIsrael competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States.The Israeli delegation included 5 athletes. 2 pairs of ice dancers: Galit Chait and Sergei Sakhnovski, who were ranked in 6th place, and Natalia Gudina and Alexei Beletski, who were 19th...
- 2002 in the Palestinian territories2002 in the Palestinian territoriesEvents in the year 2002 in the Palestinian territories.-Incumbents:Palestinian National Authority * President - Yasser Arafat -Events:...