2015 Gush Etzion Junction attack explained

2015 Gush Etzion Junction shooting
Location:	Gush Etzion Junction
Target:	Civilians
Native Name:	הפיגוע בכניסה לאלון שבות
Native Name Lang:	he
Type:	Shooting
Fatalities:	3 civilians
Injuries:	5
Assailant:	Mohammed Abdel Basset al-Kharoub
Weapon:	Uzi submachine gun
Dfen:	Yuval Lasri

On 19 November 2015, a Palestinian gunman opened fire on a line of traffic near Alon Shvut in the West Bank and continued to fire as he drove the car towards Gush Etzion Junction where he lost control of the vehicle, which then crashed into another vehicle. As a result, 3 civilians were killed and 5 were wounded.^{[1] [2] [3]}

The attack took place during the 2015–2016 wave of violence in Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Attack

The attack took place at around 4:35 pm.^[4] The gunman fired an Uzi submachine gun at cars stuck in traffic, and, when his car crashed, stepped out of the vehicle to continue shooting.^[5] The attacker was immobilized by a driver, Yuval Lasri, who told reporters that, "I didn’t shoot at him because I wasn’t sure that he was the terrorist, but then I saw the gun next to him and understood that he was.”^[5]

Context

This attack shocked the nation coming, as it did, after a period of calm, free of terror attacks. Together with the stabbing at a synagogue in Tel Aviv that occurred only a few hours earlier,^[6] it was, "the bloodiest day in Israel since this latest round of Palestinian violence began back in September."^[7]

Victims

• Ezra Schwartz (18), an American from Sharon, Massachusetts who was studying abroad. He had recently accepted admission into the Rutgers Business School and was taking a gap year in Israel.^[6] Rutgers University President, Robert L. Barchi, lowered the flags to half-staff on Monday, November 23.^{[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]} Schwartz was on his way to a park along with friends with whom he had been constructing, as a volunteer, a memorial park in honor of three Israeli boys who were kidnapped and murdered by Hamas in 2014.^[14] A false rumor that many news reports have echoed claimed that he planned to give food to soldiers. He has been buried in the Sharon Memorial Park.
• Shadi Arafeh (Arafa) (24), a Palestinian Arab from Hebron.^[11] A Palestinian Authority spokesman falsely claimed that Arafa, who was killed by the Palestinian terrorist, had been shot by Israeli security.^[15] Official Palestinian sources alleged that Arafa was slain by Israeli soldiers, despite the fact that the only shots fired during the incident where those fired by the Palestinian terrorist who shot at passenger cars, killing Arafa and 2 Jewish civilians.^[16]
• Yaakov Don (51), teacher, father of four from Alon Shvut. Don was taken to Hadassah Medical Center, where he died within hours of the attack.^[11]

Two Israeli women, one injured in the car crash, the other by gunfire, were taken to Shaare Zedek Medical Center.^[11]

Perpetrator

The shooter was Mohammed Abdel Basset al-Kharoub (24), from Dir Smat near Hebron.^[5] He had procured over $10,000 in guns and ammunition and had been training for the attack for several months, assisted by several adults. He committed the murders to celebrate his birthday, the day of the attack.His mother later told reporters that she was proud of her son.

Impact

Security measures in response to these murders include a temporary order to stop and search all Palestinian vehicles nearing the intersection, revocation of legal permits to work in Israel held by the extended family of the terrorist, and the planning of bypass roads to separate Israeli vehicles from Palestinian vehicles at this spot.^[17]

Response

• The government of the United States regards the shooting as a terrorist attack.^[11]

See also

• 2015 synagogue stabbing

Notes and References

1. News: Two Israelis, one Palestinian killed in Gush Etzion attack. Yashar. Ari. 19 November 2015. Arutz Sheva.
2. News: שלושה הרוגים וחמישה פצועים בפיגוע ירי ודריסה בגוש עציון. Levinson. Haim. 19 November 2015. 20 November 2015. Cohen. Gili. Hori. Jacky. Haaretz (Hebrew edition).
3. Book: Mickolus, Edward. Terrorism, 2013-2015: A Worldwide Chronology. 2016-08-08. McFarland. 9781476664378. en.
4. News: Levinson. Chaim. 5 Killed, Several Wounded in Tel Aviv, West Bank Terror Attacks. 19 November 2015. Haaretz. 19 November 2015.
5. News: Steinbuch. Yaron. American teen among 5 killed in Palestinian terror attacks. 19 November 2015. New York Post. 19 November 2015.
6. Book: Pessin . Andrew Pessin . Andrew . Ben-Atar . Doron Ben-Atar . Doron . Anti-Zionism on Campus: The University, Free Speech, and BDS - Chapter 25 . 2018 . INdiana University Press . 9780253034083 . 13 December 2018.
7. News: American terror victim perished on 'bloodiest day since violence began'. 20 November 2015. The Jerusalem Post. 20 November 2015.
8. Web site: President Holloway.
9. News: Dempsey. Christine. Victim Of Terror Attack In Israel Has Connecticut Ties. 21 November 2015. Hartford Courant. 20 November 2014.
10. News: Schworm. Peter. Sharon teenager killed in attack in Israel. 19 November 2015. The Boston Globe. 19 November 2015.
11. News: Lazaroff. Tovah. American teen named among victims of Gush Etzion terror attack. 19 November 2015. The Jerusalem Post. 19 November 2015.
12. News: Boss. Owen. Sharon teen killed in West Bank shooting. 19 November 2015. Boston Herald. 19 November 2015.
13. News: American killed during Palestinian knife attacks identified. 20 November 2015. CBS News. 19 November 2015.
14. News: Epstein. Sue. Edison couple's grandson killed in Palestinian attack in Israel. 20 November 2015. nj.com. 20 November 2014.
15. News: Davidovich. Joshua. The storm after the calm. 20 November 2015. Times of Israel. 20 November 2015.
16. News: Ari. Yashar. Arab bystander in shooting attack buried as 'victim of Israel'. 21 November 2015. 20 November 2015. Arutz Shave.
17. News: Rudoren. Jody. Benjamin Netanyahu Plans Separate Bypass Roads for Israelis in Parts of West Bank. 24 November 2015. The New York Times. 23 November 2015.