Passover Massacre

The Passover Massacre was a Palestinian suicide bombing in Park Hotel at Netanya on March 27, 2002. The attack claimed the life of 30 Israeli civilians and was the trigger to Operation Defensive Shield.

The massacre

The massacre occurred on the night of March 27, where Jews all over the world celebrated the traditional holiday of Passover. Park Hotel in Netanya held a big Passover dinner for its 250 guests in the ground-floor dinning room. A Palestinian suicide bomber entered the hotel dining room and detonated a large explosive device he carried upon himself. 28 people were immediately killed, and about 140 were injured. Two of the injured later died from their wounds.

Reactions

Leaders from around the world denounced the massacre as an immoral terrorist act. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his cabinet ordered the immediate recruit of 20,000 reservist in an emergency call-up and in the following day launched Operation Defensive Shield.

The victims

Shula Abramovitch, 63, of Holon
David Anichovitch, 70, of Netanya
Sgt.-Maj. Avraham Beckerman, 25, of Ashdod
Shimon Ben-Aroya, 42, of Netanya
Alter Britvich, 88, of Netanya
Frieda Britvich, 86, of Netanya
Andre Fried, 47, of Netanya
Idit Fried, 47, of Netanya
Miriam Gutenzgan, 82, of Ramat Gan
Amiram Hamami, 44, of Netanya
Perla Hermele, 79, of Sweden
Dvora Karim, 73, of Netanya
Michael Karim, 78, of Netanya
Eliezer Korman, 74, of Ramat Hasharon
Yehudit Korman, 70, of Ramat Hasharon
Marianne Myriam Lehmann Zaoui, 77, of Netanya
Lola Levkovitch, 70, of Jerusalem
Sarah Levy-Hoffman, 89, of Tel-Aviv
Furuk Na'imi, 62, of Netanya
Eliahu Nakash, 85, of Tel-Aviv
Chanah Rogan, 90, of Netanya
Irit Rashel, 45, of Moshav Herev La'et
Clara Rosenberger, 77, of Jerusalem
Yulia Talmi, 87, of Tel-Aviv
St.-Sgt. Sivan Vider, 20, of Bekaot
Zee'v Vider, 50, of Moshav Bekaot
Ernest Weiss, 80, of Petah Tikva
Eva Weiss, 75, of Petah Tikva
Anna Yakobovitch, 78, of Holon
George Yakobovitch, 76, of Holon.