Savoy Operation
Encyclopedia
The Savoy Hotel Attack was a terrorist attack by members of the Palestine Liberation Organization
against the Savoy Hotel in Tel Aviv
, Israel
, on March 4–5, 1975.
s, they took over the Savoy Hotel near the center of the city. The guests were taken hostage. The Palestinians threatened that if Israel did not release 20 Palestinian prisoners within four hours the hostages would be executed.
Early the next morning, the Israeli counter-terrorism
unit Sayeret Matkal
stormed the hotel, killing seven of the perpetrators and capturing one. Five hostages were freed, while eight were killed. Three soldiers, including former Sayeret Matkal commander Uzi Yairi, were also killed. A few hours later the ship that had transported the militants was captured and its crew taken prisoner.
in retaliation for a surgical raid that the Sayeret Matkal conducted in Beirut
, Lebanon
in April, 1973 (Operation Spring of Youth
), where they killed three top PLO leaders.
Members of the Savoy cell included Musa Juma al-Tallka, the sole survivor, Muhammad Mashala, Hader Muhammad, Ziad Talk al-Zrir, Musa Awad, Muhammed al-Masri, Abu al-Lel, and Ahmed Hamid, who were all killed by the Israeli troops.
Initial Palestinian planning had called for an attack against the Israeli tourist city of Nahariya
, yet the team was apparently unable to locate the city on the night of the attempt, two months earlier. The operation's objectives were then changed to the Manshiya Neighborhood Youth Club and the Tel Aviv Opera Building. The contingency plan in case the original targets could not be located was to select any nearby populated buildings as targets. This resulted in the Savoy Hotel raid, as it was the only illuminated building on the street.
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
against the Savoy Hotel in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel 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...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, on March 4–5, 1975.
The attack
At 11:00 p.m. on the night of March 4, 1975, eight Palestinians in two teams landed by boat on the Tel Aviv beach. Shooting and throwing grenadeGrenade
A grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
s, they took over the Savoy Hotel near the center of the city. The guests were taken hostage. The Palestinians threatened that if Israel did not release 20 Palestinian prisoners within four hours the hostages would be executed.
Early the next morning, the Israeli counter-terrorism
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...
unit Sayeret Matkal
Sayeret Matkal
Sayeret Matkal is a special forces unit of the Israel Defence Forces , which is subordinated to the intelligence directorate Aman. First and foremost a field intelligence-gathering unit, conducting deep reconnaissance behind enemy lines to obtain strategic intelligence, Sayeret Matkal is also...
stormed the hotel, killing seven of the perpetrators and capturing one. Five hostages were freed, while eight were killed. Three soldiers, including former Sayeret Matkal commander Uzi Yairi, were also killed. A few hours later the ship that had transported the militants was captured and its crew taken prisoner.
Perpetrators
The Palestinian operation was planned by Abu JihadAbu Jihad
Khalil Ibrahim al-Wazir , also known by his kunya "Abu Jihad" , was a Palestinian military leader and founder of the secular nationalist party Fatah...
in retaliation for a surgical raid that the Sayeret Matkal conducted in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
in April, 1973 (Operation Spring of Youth
Operation Spring of Youth
The 1973 Israeli raid on Lebanon took place on the night of April 9 and early morning of April 10, 1973 when Israel Defense Forces special forces units attacked several Palestine Liberation Organization targets in Beirut and Sidon, Lebanon...
), where they killed three top PLO leaders.
Members of the Savoy cell included Musa Juma al-Tallka, the sole survivor, Muhammad Mashala, Hader Muhammad, Ziad Talk al-Zrir, Musa Awad, Muhammed al-Masri, Abu al-Lel, and Ahmed Hamid, who were all killed by the Israeli troops.
Initial Palestinian planning had called for an attack against the Israeli tourist city of Nahariya
Nahariya
Nahariya is the northernmost coastal city in Israel, with an estimated population of 51,200.-History:Nahariya was founded by German Jewish immigrants from the Fifth Aliyah in the 1930s...
, yet the team was apparently unable to locate the city on the night of the attempt, two months earlier. The operation's objectives were then changed to the Manshiya Neighborhood Youth Club and the Tel Aviv Opera Building. The contingency plan in case the original targets could not be located was to select any nearby populated buildings as targets. This resulted in the Savoy Hotel raid, as it was the only illuminated building on the street.
External links
- Terrorist Suicide Operation Analysis Global Security