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{{Infobox civilian attack | |||
⚫ | The '''Scorpion Pass Massacre''' was a terrorist attack on an ]i civilian |
||
| title = Scorpion Pass Massacre | |||
| image = Maale Akrabim Massacre.jpg | |||
| caption = The bus after the massacre | |||
| location = Scorpions Pass, south of ] | |||
| date = 16/17 March 1954 | |||
| timezone = ], ] +2 | |||
| type = Shooting | |||
| fatalities = 12 | |||
| injuries = 3 | |||
| susperps = Jordanian villagers | |||
| weapons = | |||
| numparts = 3 named | |||
| dfens = | |||
}} | |||
⚫ | The '''Scorpion Pass Massacre''' was a terrorist attack on an ]i civilian passenger bus, carried out the night of 16-17 March, 1954. 11 passengers were shot dead by the attackers who ambushed and boarded the bus. Three passengers survived, left for dead by the gunmen. | ||
== Background == | == Background == | ||
Scorpions Pass (Hebrew:Ma'ale 'Akrabim) is a narrow, winding grade on the old road between ] and ], just south of ], and roughly 60 mils south of Beer Sheva. The pass was on the primary route between Eilat and central Israel in 1954. | Scorpions Pass (Hebrew:Ma'ale 'Akrabim) is a narrow, winding grade on the old road between ] and ], just south of ], and roughly 60 mils south of Beer Sheva. The pass was on the primary route between Eilat and central Israel in 1954. | ||
The ] ended with the signing of several ] between Israel and her neighboring Arab states, but border clashes began almost immediately after the signing agreements. On the Israeli-Jordanian border lines, infiltrations, armed or otherwise, were not infrequent from both sides. According to Israeli sources, between June 1949 and the end of 1952, a total of 57 Israelis, mostly civilians, were killed by infiltrators from Jordan. The Israeli death toll for the first 9 months of 1953 was 32.<ref></ref> Over roughly the same time (November 1950-November 1953), the ] condemned Israeli military infiltrations and aggressions 44 times.<ref name="un"></ref> During the same time Jordan claimed that it suffered 629 killed and injured from Israeli incursions and cross-border bombings.<ref name="un"/> | |||
== The attack == | == The attack == | ||
On the night of Match 16, |
On the night of Match 16, a bus operated by the ] carrying 14 passengers made its way from Eilat to ].<ref>Israel's Border Wars, 1949-1956, p. 309, Benny Morris, Oxford University Press, 1997</ref> As it was climbing up the steep grade, it was ambushed by gunmen who shot and killed the driver as well as passengers who tried to escape; they then proceeded to board the bus and shoot the remaining passengers. | ||
== Aftermath == | == Aftermath == | ||
The next day, Israeli trackers assisted by police dogs and accompanied by UN observers followed the attackers' tracks to a point 6 miles west of the Jordanian border, where the tracks were lost. |
The next day, Israeli trackers assisted by police dogs and accompanied by UN observers followed the attackers' tracks to a point 6 miles west of the Jordanian border, where the tracks were lost.<ref name="time"></ref> In subsequent days, a joint Israeli-Jordanian posse managed to follow the tracks as far as 2 miles from the border.<ref name="time"></ref> Relying on informants, Israeli intelligence sources named 3 suspects from the Jordanian village of Safi as the perpetrators. | ||
Despite public outcry and call for military retaliation against Jordan, Israel's prime minister ] called for restraint and diplomatic measures. Israel requested that the Israeli-Jordanian Mixed Armistice Commission (IJMAC) denounce Jordan for the crime. Jordan's representative to the IJMAC blamed the atrocity on Israel, and IJMAC Chairman, Commander Hutchinson abstained, resulting in no decision. As a result, Israel left the IJMAC. | Despite public outcry and call for military retaliation against Jordan, Israel's prime minister ] called for restraint and diplomatic measures. Israel requested that the Israeli-Jordanian Mixed Armistice Commission (IJMAC) denounce Jordan for the crime. Jordan's representative to the IJMAC blamed the atrocity on Israel, and IJMAC Chairman, Commander Hutchinson abstained, resulting in no decision. As a result, Israel left the IJMAC.<ref>Israel's Border Wars, 1949-1956, p. 311, Benny Morris, Oxford University Press, 1997</ref> | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
{{reflist}} | |||
<References/> | |||
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] | |||
] | |||
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] | ] |
Revision as of 18:22, 2 December 2008
Scorpion Pass Massacre | |
---|---|
The bus after the massacre | |
Location | Scorpions Pass, south of Makhtesh Katan |
Date | 16/17 March 1954 (IST, UTC +2) |
Attack type | Shooting |
Deaths | 12 |
Injured | 3 |
No. of participants | 3 named |
The Scorpion Pass Massacre was a terrorist attack on an Israeli civilian passenger bus, carried out the night of 16-17 March, 1954. 11 passengers were shot dead by the attackers who ambushed and boarded the bus. Three passengers survived, left for dead by the gunmen.
Background
Scorpions Pass (Hebrew:Ma'ale 'Akrabim) is a narrow, winding grade on the old road between Eilat and Beer Sheva, just south of Makhtesh Katan, and roughly 60 mils south of Beer Sheva. The pass was on the primary route between Eilat and central Israel in 1954.
The 1948 Palestine war ended with the signing of several armistice agreements between Israel and her neighboring Arab states, but border clashes began almost immediately after the signing agreements. On the Israeli-Jordanian border lines, infiltrations, armed or otherwise, were not infrequent from both sides. According to Israeli sources, between June 1949 and the end of 1952, a total of 57 Israelis, mostly civilians, were killed by infiltrators from Jordan. The Israeli death toll for the first 9 months of 1953 was 32. Over roughly the same time (November 1950-November 1953), the Mixed Armistice Commission condemned Israeli military infiltrations and aggressions 44 times. During the same time Jordan claimed that it suffered 629 killed and injured from Israeli incursions and cross-border bombings.
The attack
On the night of Match 16, a bus operated by the Egged Israel Transport Cooperative Society carrying 14 passengers made its way from Eilat to Tel-Aviv. As it was climbing up the steep grade, it was ambushed by gunmen who shot and killed the driver as well as passengers who tried to escape; they then proceeded to board the bus and shoot the remaining passengers.
Aftermath
The next day, Israeli trackers assisted by police dogs and accompanied by UN observers followed the attackers' tracks to a point 6 miles west of the Jordanian border, where the tracks were lost. In subsequent days, a joint Israeli-Jordanian posse managed to follow the tracks as far as 2 miles from the border. Relying on informants, Israeli intelligence sources named 3 suspects from the Jordanian village of Safi as the perpetrators.
Despite public outcry and call for military retaliation against Jordan, Israel's prime minister Moshe Sharett called for restraint and diplomatic measures. Israel requested that the Israeli-Jordanian Mixed Armistice Commission (IJMAC) denounce Jordan for the crime. Jordan's representative to the IJMAC blamed the atrocity on Israel, and IJMAC Chairman, Commander Hutchinson abstained, resulting in no decision. As a result, Israel left the IJMAC.
References
- Which Came First- Terrorism or Occupation - Major Arab Terrorist Attacks against Israelis Prior to the 1967 Six-Day War
- ^ S/635/Rev.1
- Israel's Border Wars, 1949-1956, p. 309, Benny Morris, Oxford University Press, 1997
- ^ Massacre at Scorpion's Pass
- Israel's Border Wars, 1949-1956, p. 311, Benny Morris, Oxford University Press, 1997