Hebron Massacre: 53 Palestinians Killed in Mosque Massacre by Jewish Settlers

Strategic Insights -

At dawn prayers, a Hebron mosque on the West Bank was the scene of a horrific massacre as Jewish settlers, led by Dr. Baruch Goldstein, opened fire on a packed mosque in the fasting month of Ramadan. The attack, which lasted for 10 minutes, resulted in the deaths of 53 Palestinians and wounded at least 80 others. The Israeli Army initially said that Goldstein acted alone, but Palestinian witnesses claimed that up to five Jews joined in the shooting, and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) alleged that between 20 and 30 settlers were involved. The attack sparked widespread protests and clashes throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip, leaving six more people dead.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Hebron massacre was carried out by Jewish settlers, led by Dr. Baruch Goldstein, a major in the Israeli Army reserve and a member of the anti-Arab Kach movement.
  • The attack occurred during dawn prayers at a packed mosque in the Tomb of the Patriarchs, a shared Muslim-Jewish holy site.
  • Palestinian witnesses reported that up to five Jews joined in the shooting, while the PLO claimed that between 20 and 30 settlers took part in the massacre.
  • The Israeli Army initially said that Goldstein acted alone, but later claims of multiple perpetrators were not confirmed.
  • The attack resulted in the deaths of 53 Palestinians and wounded at least 80 others, with some reports indicating that up to 270 people were wounded.
  • The massacre was the bloodiest incident since Israeli security forces shot dead 18 Palestinians in Jerusalem's Old City in October 1990.
  • The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Yitzhak Rabin, appealed to Arabs not to take revenge and called for restraint.
  • The PLO responded by calling for international protection of Palestinians in the occupied territories and attracting international condemnation.
  • Faisal Husseini, Arafat's senior aide in Jerusalem, called for an investigation into the army's reported failure to stop the gunman and the disarming of the estimated 120,000 settlers in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Statistics:

  • 53 Palestinians killed
  • At least 80 Palestinians wounded
  • Up to 270 Palestinians wounded (according to the PLO)
  • 10 minutes: duration of the attack
  • 35 bullets: capacity of Goldstein's Galil rifle
  • Up to 750 rounds per minute: fire rate of Goldstein's Galil rifle
  • 120,000: number of settlers in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip (according to Faisal Husseini)
  • 40 protesters wounded in Gaza
  • 7 Arabs wounded in Jericho
  • 4 Palestinians killed in protests in Hebron
  • 1 Arab killed by a settler in Bethlehem

Sources:

  • Marjorie Olster and Sami Aboudi, "Hebron Massacre: 53 Palestinians Killed in Mosque Massacre by Jewish Settlers", Hebron, Friday (no date mentioned)
  • Reuters, " Israeli Prime Minister Appeals for Restraint After Mosque Massacre"
  • Agence France Presse, "Death toll in Hebron massacre rises to 53"
  • The Palestine Liberation Organisation, "Joint statement calling for international protection of Palestinians in the occupied territories"
  • Faisal Husseini, Arafat's senior aide in Jerusalem, quoted in The New York Times (no date mentioned)
  • Israeli Prime Minister's Office, statement on the Hebron massacre (no date mentioned)
  • Reuter, "Israeli troops beat Palestinians at Gaza refugee camp" (no date mentioned)