List of Israeli assassinations

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This article is about assassinations allegedly performed by Israel. For violent incidents in in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, see Violence in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

The following is a list of assassinations reported to have been conducted by the state of Israel. It includes attempts on noteworthy persons that were reported to have been specifically targeted by the various Israeli security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Some of the listed assassination were denied by Israel. Most fall within a series of campaigns, including Operation Wrath of God, launched as a response to the 1972 Munich massacre, Israeli actions in the wake of the al-Aqsa Intifada (2000–), and strikes during the 2008–2009 Gaza War. The policy of targeted killings is known in Hebrew as "focused foiling" (Hebrew: סיכול ממוקד sikul memukad).

Contents

[edit] 1960s

Date Place Target Description Action Assassin
February 23, 1965 Montevideo, Uruguay Herberts Cukurs Aviator alleged to have been involved in the murders of Latvian Jews during the Holocaust Lured to Montevideo by agents under the false pretense of starting an aviation business where he was then assassinated. Mossad[1]

[edit] 1970s

Date Place Target Description Action Assassin
1972 Beirut Attempted assassination of Bassam Abu Sharif Member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who took part in the Dawson's Field hijackings Lost four fingers, and was left deaf in one ear and blind in one eye, after a book sent to him that was implanted with a bomb exploded in his hands.[2][3] Mossad[3]
October 16, 1972 Rome Abdel Wael Zwaiter Libyan embassy employee and PLO representative Shot by two gunmen in his apartment.[4] Mossad
July 8, 1972 Beirut Ghassan Kanafani Palestinian writer and a leading member of the PFLP Assassinated by car bomb Mossad
December 8, 1972 Paris Dr. Mahmoud Hamshari PLO representative in France Killed by a bomb concealed in his telephone.[4]
January 24, 1973 Nicosia Hussein Al Bashir Fatah representative in Nicosia, Cyprus. Killed by a bomb planted in his hotel room bed.[4]
April 6, 1973 Paris Dr. Basil Al-Kubaissi PFLP member and law professor at the American University of Beirut Killed by two gunmen.[4]
April 9, 1973 Beirut Muhammad Youssef Al-Najjar Black September Operations officer and PLO official Killed during Operation Spring of Youth. Sayeret Matkal
April 9, 1973 Beirut Kamal Adwan Fatah veteran Killed during Operation Spring of Youth. Sayeret Matkal
April 9, 1973 Beirut Kamal Nasser PLO spokesman Killed during Operation Spring of Youth. Sayeret Matkal
April 11, 1973 Athens Zaiad Muchasi Fatah representative to Cyprus Killed in a hotel room.[4]
June 28, 1973 Paris Mohammad Boudia Black September operations officer Killed by a pressure activated mine under his car seat.[4]
July 21, 1973 Lillehammer, Norway Ali Hassan Salameh high-ranked leader in the PLO and Black September Ahmed Bouchiki, an innocent waiter believed to be Ali Hassan Salameh, is killed by gunmen. The incident has since become known as the Lillehammer affair. Mossad
March 28, 1978 German Democratic Republic Wadie Haddad PFLP commander Killed by a biologically-infected chocolate, sent by Mossad, which caused his death a month later. Mossad
July 26, 1979 Cannes Zuheir Mohsen Leader of the pro-Syria as-Sa'iqa faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization Shot in the front of Casino Mossad
January 22, 1979 Beirut Ali Hassan Salameh high-ranked leader in the PLO and Black September Killed by a car bomb[4] along with four bodyguards and four innocent bystanders. Mossad

[edit] 1980s

Date Place Target Description Action Executor
June 13, 1980 Paris Yehia El-Mashad Egyptian nuclear scientist, lecturer at Alexandria University Killed by Mossad agents in his room at the Méridien Hotel in Operation Sphinx.[5][6] Marie-Claude Magal, prostitute, client of Yehia al-Meshad, pushed under a car and killed in the Boulevard Saint-Germain.[7] Mossad
August 21, 1983 Athens Mamoun Meraish Senior PLO official Shot in his car by Mossad agents from their motorcycle.[8] Mossad
April 16, 1988 Tunis Abu Jihad Second in command to Yassir Arafat Killed in Tunis Raid.[4] Israeli commandos

[edit] 1990s

Date Place Target Description Action Executor
February 16, 1992 Lebanon Abbas al-Musawi Secretary-General of Hezbollah Killed in his car convoy by missiles launched from two Israeli helicopters.[4]
June 8, 1992 Paris Atef Bseiso Palestinian official Assassinated for involvement in the Munich Massacre. Shot several times in the head at point blank range by 2 gunmen after returning to his hotel for the night (Aaron Klein's "Striking Back") Mossad
October 26, 1995 Sliema, Malta Fathi Shaqaqi Head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad Shot and killed in front of the Diplomat Hotel.[4]
January 6, 1996 Gaza strip Yahya Ayyash "The Engineer", a bombmaker for Hamas Killed by a bomb planted in a cell phone.[4] SHABAK.
September 25, 1997 Amman Failed attempt to poison Khaled Mashaal Hamas political leader Two Mossad agents captured. Israel provided antidote after pressure by Clinton. Canada withdraws Ambassador. Agents have Canadian passports.

[edit] 2000s

Date Place Target Description Action Executor
November 22, 2000 Gaza Strip Jamal Abdel Raziq Senior official of the Fatah faction Tanzim Killed with his driver, Awni Dhuheir, when their car is fired upon by IDF troops in Gaza. Two innocent bystanders in the car in front of Abdel Raziq—Sami Abu Laban, 29, a baker, and Na'el Al Leddawi, 22, a student—also killed in the attack.[9][10] IDF
February 3, 2001 Gaza Strip Massoud Ayyad Lieutenant-colonel in Force 17 Killed while driving in the Jabaliya refugee camp by three helicopter launched rockets.[11]
July 31, 2001 Jamal Mansour High ranking official of Hamas' West Bank political wing Killed when his office is struck by helicopter launched missiles.[12]
August 20, 2001 Hebron, West Bank Imad Abu Sneneh Leader of Tanzim Shot and killed.[13] Israeli undercover team
January 14, 2002 Tulkarem, West Bank Raed Karmi Head of al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades Killed by blast.[14]
July 22, 2002 Salah Shahade Leader of Hamas Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades Killed using 2,205 pound of explosive dropped by an F-16. The attack also killed his wife and 9 children.
March 8, 2003 Gaza City Ibrahim al-Makadmeh He and three of his aides were killed by helicopter-fired missiles
August 21, 2003 Ismail Abu Shanab High ranking Hamas official[15]
March 22, 2004 Gaza Strip Ahmed Yassin Co-founder and leader of Hamas He and bodyguards are killed in when hit by Israeli Air Force AH-64 Apache fired Hellfire missiles. IAF
April 17, 2004 Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi Co-founder and leader of Hamas and successor of Ahmed Yassin as leader of Hamas after his death Killed by helicopter-fired missiles along with his son.
October 21, 2004 Gaza Adnan al-Ghoul Hamas weapons expert He and Imad Abbas were killed when an Apache helicopter fired missiles at their car.
May 25, 2006 Sidon, Lebanon Mahmoud al-Majzoub Commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Injured in a car bombing and died the next day. Islamic Jihad blamed Israel, though Israel denied it.
June 8, 2006 Jamal Abu Samhadana Killed by an Israeli airstrike along with at least three other PRC members.[16][17]
January 16, 2008 Qabatiya, Westbank Walid Obeidi Commander of Islamic Jihad's al-Quds Brigade Gunned down by Israeli commandos.[18] IDF
February 12, 2008 Damascus Imad Mughniyah Top Hezbollah commander Assassinated by a car bomb. Some news reports indicated the Mossad was responsible,[19] though Israel denied carrying it out.[20].
August 1, 2008 Muhammad Suleiman Syrian General and top liaison between Syria and Hezbollah Killed by sniper fire. Israel never takes credit for the killing but is widely suspected.[21][22]
December 16, 2008 Jenin, West Bank Jihad Nawahda Top Islamic Jihad commander Ambushed and killed by undercover Israeli troops as he enters an internet cafe.[23]
January 1, 2009 Nizar Rayan Top Hamas military commander and decision maker Assassinated in an Israeli air strike, along with his four wives and eleven of their children. He is the most senior Hamas member to be killed since 2004.
January 3, 2009 Abu Zakaria al-Jamal Senior Hamas commander Killed in an Israeli air strike.[24]
January 15, 2009 Jabalia Said Seyam Hamas Interior Minister Killed in an Israeli air strike that also claimed his brother, his son, and Hamas general security services commander Salah Abu Shrakh.[25]
March 4, 2009 Gaza Strip Khaled Shalan Senior member of Islamic Jihad Killed in an Israeli air strike as retaliation for Palestinian rocket attacks on the Israeli city of Ashkelon.[26] IAF
May 27, 2009 Dura, West Bank Abd el-Majid Dudin Major Hamas commander in West Bank Killed by gunfire during an Israeli raid.[27] YAMAM
December 25, 2009 Nablus, West Bank Anan Subeh, Raed a-Sarkaji, Raghsan Abu Sharah Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade Killed in a raid by Sayeret Duvdevan over the murder of an Israeli civilian days earlier. [28]

[edit] 2010s

Date Place Target Description Action Executor
January 19, 2010 Dubai Mahmoud al-Mabhouh Hamas political leader Widely reported to have been killed by Israeli intelligence members. Israel has stated that there is no proof of their involvement and have refused to either confirm or deny the allegations.[29] Dubai police report that Israeli agents used French, British, Irish, and Dutch passports.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Josifs S̆teimanis (2002). History of Latvian Jews (Illustrated, revised ed.). East European Monographs. ISBN 0880334932, 9780880334938. http://books.google.ca/books?lr=&cd=9&id=4bRtAAAAMAAJ&dq=herberts+cukurs+mossad&q=mossad#search_anchor. 
  2. ^ BBC Article
  3. ^ a b Palestinians' Way Forward Al Jazeera English, June 19 2009
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Israeli “Hits” On Terrorists, Jewish Virtual Library, last updated December 18, 2007. Retrieved December 24, 2007.
  5. ^ http://www.science.co.il/ilan-ramon/Osiraq.pdf Ford, Peter S., Major, USAF, "Israel's Attack on Osiraq: A Model for Future Preventive Strikes?", INSS Occasional Paper 59, USAF Institute for National Security Studies, USAF Academy, Colorado, July 2005, p. 15
  6. ^ Ostrovsky, Victor, "By Way of Deception: The Making and Unmaking of a Mossad Officer", St. Martin's Press, New York, 1990, p. 23
  7. ^ Ibid., p. 24
  8. ^ http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3550277,00.html "Agent Livni Makes British Headlines", YNet News, June 1, 2008. Retrieved 23/Oct/2008.
  9. ^ Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the US State Department, February 23, 2001. Retrieved October 14, 2006.
  10. ^ Israel's death squads: A soldier's story, Donald Macintyre, The Independent, March 1, 2009. Retrieved March 3, 2009.
  11. ^ Philips, Alan. "Arafat aide killed in helicopter ambush", Telegraph, February 14, 2001. Retrieved October 14, 2006.
  12. ^ Profile: Hamas activist Jamal Mansour, BBC News, July 31, 2001. Retrieved October 14, 2006.
  13. ^ "Palestinian activist shot, killed", CNN, August 20, 2001. Retrieved October 14, 2006.
  14. ^ "Killing sparks fresh Mid-East violence". BBC News. 2002-01-14. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1760327.stm. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
  15. ^ http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2003/Hamas+terrorist+Ismail+Abu+Shanab+-+21-Aug-2003.htm
  16. ^ [1], Ha'aretz, 8 June 2006.
  17. ^ [2], Yediot Acharonot, 8 June
  18. ^ http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3494830,00.html
  19. ^ Mahnaimi, Uzi; Jaber, Hala; Swain, Jon (2008-02-17). "Israel kills terror chief with headrest bomb". The Sunday Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article3382343.ece. Retrieved 2008-03-28. 
  20. ^ Powell, Robyn (2008-02-26). "Israel denies assassinating Hizbollah chief". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/13/whizbollah213.xml. Retrieved 2008-03-28. 
  21. ^ http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1008004.html
  22. ^ [3]
  23. ^ Issacharoff, Avi (2008-12-16). "IDF troops kill top Islamic Jihad militant near Jenin". Haaretz. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1047166.html. Retrieved 2008-12-28. 
  24. ^ Katz, Yaakov (2009-01-03). "Tens of thousands of IDF combat reservists called up". The Jerusalem Post. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230733150721&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
  25. ^ http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231950866724&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
  26. ^ "Israel kills Gaza rocket commander in air strike". Reuters. 2009-03-04. http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5235JP20090304. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
  27. ^ "Hamas vows to avenge terrorist's killing". The Jerusalem Post. 2009-05-28. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243346497968&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull. Retrieved 2009-11-11. 
  28. ^ http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1137742.html
  29. ^ Israeli politician Livni hails Dubai Hamas killing, BBC News, 23 February 2010.

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