Ma’Alot MassacreMa’Alot
MassacreAvailable online at:
http://msbeenen.wikispaces.comAvailable online at:
http://msbeenen.wikispaces.com
W.W.W.W
• Who? Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
• What? Hostage/School Massacre
• Where: Ma’alot Galilee Israel
• When? May 15 1974
The Van Attack
• The attack was carried out by three members of the DFLP dressed in Israel Defence Force uniforms
• They got into Ma’alot through a nearby nature reserve on May 13th and hid for a few days.
• When driving to Ma’alot they encountered a van full of Christian Arab women, they asked for directions then shot up the van.
The Cohen family
• When they got to Ma’alot they knocked on the doors of homes and shot anyone who answered.
• The Cohen Family answered the door, the terrorists killed their 4 year old son, wounded their 5 year old daughter and then killed the couple.
• The only family member unharmed was a 16 month old baby who couldn’t see, speak or hear.
The School Massacre
• Terrorists headed for Netiv Mier elementary schools where a group of students was housed on a field trip.
• They asked a man for directions on the way and then shot him and left him to die.
• The terrorists entered the school and took 120 students hostage.
Teachers Escape
• Many of the teachers abandoned their students by jumping out the window.
• At the time of the attack they were suspended from teaching and parents thought them cruel.
• After the attack they were cleared of any wrong doings despite the negative reaction from parents.
Attack and Demands
• Students were left inside to sit on the ground at gunpoint with explosive devices in between them.
• Terrorists demanded the release of 23 prisoners from Israeli jails. Conditions had to be met by 6pm or students would be killed.
• Negotiations occurred but no extended deadline was given.
Ambush
• At 2:25pm the Special Forces Unit was given the go ahead to ambush the school.
• They split up into 3 units. Two would enter through the front door and one through the window.
• The first unit was met with gunfire, while the second was blinded by smoke from a grenade.
• The third unit managed to get through the window.
• The terrorists loaded their weapons with ammunition from teachers desks and sprayed the students with gunfire.
• Two grenades were also thrown at a group of girls.
• The terrorists were shot.
Death Toll and Aftermath
• 22 students were killed in the attack plus 3 terrorists.
• Israel Defence Force planes bombed training camps and offices of the terrorists. These bombs also hit refugee camps and killed 27 people.
• A special terrorism unit called Yaman was developed in Israel.
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