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A Palestinian terrorist infiltrated into Kibbutz Metzer and launched a shooting spree at residents, killing 5 Israelis, including two young children.
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| By israelinsider staff November 11, 2002 |
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Five Israelis were murdered late Sunday night when a Palestinian terrorist infiltrated into Kibbutz Metzer, located near the Green Line north of Tulkarm, and launched a shooting spree at residents. Among the victims were two young children, murdered as they slept in their beds. The attack came just hours after a major suicide bombing was thwarted when Border Police stopped an explosives-laden car nearby.
The five victims of the attack were identified Monday morning:
 Tirza Damari, 42, from Moshav Elyachin
Dori Yitzhak, 44, the general-secretary of Kibbutz Metzer
Revital Ohayon, 34, a resident of the kibbutz
Noam Ohayon, 4
Matan Ohayon, 5
The attack occurred at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday night when a Palestinian terrorist cut through the kibbutz' perimeter fence and approached the communal dining room. He opened fire on a man and a woman there, mortally injuring Damari. Damari's companion managed to escape and hid near the kibbutz's dairy farm.
Yitzhak, who was in readiness for possible security duties, heard the gunfire and ran towards the dining room. The terrorist shot and killed him.
The terrorist then burst into a kibbutz home where Ohayon was living with her two young children. Ohayon was talking on the phone to her husband and told him that she heard gunfire nearby. Avi Ohayon, who was separated from his wife and lived in Caesarea, heard shouting on the phone and then the call was terminated. He rushed to the kibbutz and was told that his wife and two young children had been murdered.
"We heard gunfire," kibbutz member Oded Shahar told ynet. "It took a few minutes until we realized that this was a terror attack. We were ordered to remain in our homes in complete darkness and to wait for news. It was a nightmare, but we will continue to live here."
Security forces arrived on the scene and launched a massive manhunt for the terrorist. The gunman apparently managed to flee the kibbutz and return to Palestinian-controlled territory nearby. Residents of the kibbutz were allowed to leave their homes Monday morning.
Police Commissioner Shlomo Aharonishky spokesmen said that there had been "countless warnings" of possible terrorist infiltrations along the Green Line, but police had not been aware of specific plans to attack Kibbutz Metzer.
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement claimed responsibility for the attack on Kibbutz Metzer.
Earlier Sunday, Border Police thwarted a major suicide bombing attack when they stopped a suspicious car not far from Kibbutz Metzer. The two Palestinians riding in the car were killed when their car exploded. There were no Israeli injuries.
"Without a doubt, a major attack was thwarted," said Border Police Northern Commander Jihad Kabalan. According to initial investigations, the two Palestinians were on their way from Nablus with the intention of perpetrating a terror attack. When stopped by the police, they detonated the explosives they were wearing. The car also contained a bag with 8-10 kilograms of explosives, police said.
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