Night of the Pitchforks
Encyclopedia
The Night of the Pitchforks , refers to an incident that took place on February 14, 1992, in which Israeli Arab
guerrillas from the Wadi Ara
area, members of the Islamic movement
, infiltrated into an IDF
military recruit training
base near Kibbutz Gal'ed
and killed three Israeli soldiers.
spent a week in field training near Kibbutz Gal'ed
in Ramot Menashe
. The killers entered the Basic Training Recruits encampment and killed three soldiers, squad leader Guy Friedman, and two recruits, using knives, axe
s and a pitchfork
which they were equipped with.
The killers, which were recruited by the Islamic Jihad
terrorist organization, were convicted and sentenced to three consecutive terms of life imprisonment
.
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
guerrillas from the Wadi Ara
Wadi Ara
Wadi 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:...
area, members of the Islamic movement
Islamic Movement in Israel
The Islamic Movement in Israel is a movement that aims to advocate Islam among Israeli Arabs. It operates on three levels: religious , social and anti-Zionist...
, infiltrated into an IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The 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...
military recruit training
Tironut
Tironut is the Hebrew name for the recruit training of the Israel Defense Forces . In the IDF, recruit training comes in many difficulty levels, each corps or major unit having their own training program. After the tironut, a recruit is certified as a rifleman of a level that depends on the...
base near Kibbutz Gal'ed
Gal'ed
Gal'ed is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the Plain of Manasseh with an area of 14,500 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Megiddo Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 405....
and killed three Israeli soldiers.
The attack
The Nahal Brigade Basic Training RecruitsTironut
Tironut is the Hebrew name for the recruit training of the Israel Defense Forces . In the IDF, recruit training comes in many difficulty levels, each corps or major unit having their own training program. After the tironut, a recruit is certified as a rifleman of a level that depends on the...
spent a week in field training near Kibbutz Gal'ed
Gal'ed
Gal'ed is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the Plain of Manasseh with an area of 14,500 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Megiddo Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 405....
in Ramot Menashe
Ramot Menashe
Ramot Menashe is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located on the Menashe plateau between the Carmel mountain range and the Jezreel Valley, it falls under the jurisdiction of Megiddo Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 468...
. The killers entered the Basic Training Recruits encampment and killed three soldiers, squad leader Guy Friedman, and two recruits, using knives, axe
Axe
The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
s and a pitchfork
Pitchfork
A pitchfork is an agricultural tool with a long handle and long, thin, widely separated pointed tines used to lift and pitch loose material, such as hay, leaves, grapes, dung or other agricultural materials. Pitchforks typically have two or three tines...
which they were equipped with.
Aftermath
The killers were eventually caught by the Israeli security forces after intelligence led them to the house where the murder weapons were hidden. When they reached the house, they found a concrete wall which did not yet dry out yet which made them suspicious. After digging in the concrete they found the murder weapons inside - the pitchfork, knives and axes which were used by the militants to kill the soldiers. After examining the weapons, an investigation led the Israeli security forces eventually to the killers themselves.The killers, which were recruited by the Islamic Jihad
Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine
The 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...
terrorist organization, were convicted and sentenced to three consecutive terms of life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
.
External links
- IDF History in 1992 @ dover.idf.il
- Arabs attack army camp, killing 3 Israeli soldiers - published on The Sun on February 16, 1992
- Infiltrators Kill Three Soldiers in Israeli Camp - published on Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
on February 16, 1992 - 3 Israelis killed in army camp - published on the Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
on February 16, 1992