Remembering the Line 2 Bus Tragedy: A Look Back in History
On this day, the 21st of Av, 16 years ago, a devastating attack on Jerusalem's Line 2 bus occurred, leading to tragic loss of life.
- דבי רייכמן
- פורסם כ"א אב התשע"ט
(Photo: Nati Shohat / Flash90) #VALUE!
Following numerous acts of terror during the Second Intifada, a temporary ceasefire, or "hudna," was announced at the end of June 2003, bringing a brief period of calm.
However, on the 21st of Av in 2003, the ceasefire was tragically shattered. A suicide bomber from the Hamas cell in Hebron boarded the Line 2 bus heading from the Western Wall, disguised as an Orthodox Jew, and detonated the explosive in the center of the bus.
The attack on Line 2 was one of the deadliest of the time, claiming 23 lives, including 7 children, and injuring 130 others. The youngest victim was a mere 3 months old. Among those killed were a mother and her son, a father and his son, and many more. Most of the victims were Orthodox Jews returning from prayers at the Western Wall.
