Memorial for 20th Anniversary of Worshippers Way Attack

 

A special evening was held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Battle
of Worshipers Way. It was attended by bereaved families of those who fell defending
worshipers praying at the Cave of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs in Hebron. Commanders
and soldiers in the IDF Judea and Samaria Division, local elected officials and others
attended the event which was held at the Cultural Center in Kiryat
Arba.

It was moderated by Dr. Avshalom Kor, the award-winning Israeli linguist who hosts a
daily radio show on Galey Tzahal and a weekly TV show on Channel 1.

 

The 2002 terrorist ambush left 12 people dead and over a dozen wounded.
Members of Islamic Jihad waited in ambush, threw grenades and opened fire at a group of
Jewish worshipers coming home Friday evening from prayers at the Cave of the Patriarchs.
.” A large stone memorial with the names of the 12 victims now stands at the beginning
of the path that connects Kiryat Arba and Hebron. Both soldiers and civilians were
killed in the attack, including a Bedouin-Israeli, immigrants from France and Ukraine.
and Col. Dror Weinberg, a prominent IDF commander. Weinberg was mourned
as a leader who managed to establish good relations with both the Jewish and Arab
residents of the city.

 

Awards were given at the event to honor those who rushed to the rescue of the
most recent terrorist attack in the city, which took the life of 50-year-old Ronen Hanania one
month ago.

The members of the standby squad, security forces, and medics, were honored for rushing
to the scene when a terrorist opened fire at a grocery store by commander of the Yehuda
Regional Brigade, Lt. Col. Yishai Rosilio. They included

Lemuel Weisscot of the Kiryat Arba Brigade, Benaya Sharbatov of the Golani Brigade, Yoni
Bleichbard of the Jewish community of Hebron, Israel Lior of the medical center, and
Ofer Ohana of the emergency medical team who was injured in the attack. A special
certificate was given to Rabbi Hillel Horowitz, long-time public servant and former
mayor of the Jewish community of Hebron.

In his speech, Dr. Kor mentioned the Biblical story of King Saul, whose songs fell in
battle. Following the ascension of King David, Hebron was declared the capital city.
“Dear audience, here in Hebron the beginning of David’s kingdom, the royal line of the
people of Israel began,” he stated. “Our connection with the city of Hebron embodies
within it the story of our roots as the people of Israel in the Land of Israel. It is a
story of heritage, unity and mission.”

He continued to discuss the significance of Hebron in the Biblical story of the twelve
spies, David Ben-Gurion’s desire to control the strategic Hebron Hills region in 1948,
and the dramatic liberation of Hebron in the Six Day War without firing a single
shot.

Dr. Kor compared the 2002 ambush in Hebron to the battle of Tel Hai in 1920 in which
Yosef Trumpeldor and his comrades fell. Berl Katznelson, the Hebrew poet and Labor
movement leader, wrote: “Do not be silent and do not be comforted, and let the mourning
not end – until the day comes, when Israel will return and redeem its plundered land! So
let our oppressors know: you do not frighten us! It was not by your kindness that the
land was given to us, and it was not by your deceitful malice that you wrest it from us.
You can’t help us. With our heads we will smash the iron bolts.”

“This is what Berl Katznelson said 102 years ago,” noted Dr. Kor. “We have become
stronger since then. But we lost the best of our sons, our brothers, our parents. This
evening we remember, more than ever, our loved ones – who fell when they jumped to
defend Kiryat Arba — that is Hebron. Twelve soldiers, commanders and members of the
security forces who fell in battle in Worshipers Way.”

Background

The attack occurred on November 15, 2002 during a prolonged assault on civilians by
Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terrorist groups, in what was termed by many Israelis as
the Oslo War, and by media as the Second Intifada. Nine soldiers and three civilians
were killed when terrorists opened fire and threw grenades at a group of Jewish
worshipers as they were walking home from Sabbath Eve prayers at the Cave of the
Patriarchs. Security personnel returned fire and pursued the attackers in a battle
lasting some 90 minutes. Three terrorists were killed. Islamic Jihad claimed
responsibility.

The following are the twelve people killed in the attack.

Alexander Zwitman

 

Alexander Zwitman, 26, of Kiryat Arba, was an immigrant from Ukraine who served as a
member of the Kiryat Arba security unit and was a volunteer member of the community’s
emergency response team. He was killed with two other members of the team when they
responded to the sounds of fighting and went to help and to rescue wounded.

 

Zwitman, his wife, Leda, their parents and son, Eyal, age five, were celebrating Leda’s
birthday when the attack began. “He kissed me and told me how much he loved me,” said
Leda. “I went to bring something from the kitchen and returned to see he had already
left, and I understood he had gone to the incident.” Half an hour later, three men
appeared with the news of his death. He was buried with two other members of his team in
a military ceremony at Har Hamenuhot Cemetery in Jerusalem.

 

Netanel Machluf



Border Police St.-Sgt. Netanel Machluf, 19, of Hadera, graduated from high school with
honors and then worked for about six months at Hillel Yaffe hospital. He enlisted in the
Border Guard and completed a commanders course which he finished with honors and was
assigned to Hebron. His parents dedicated a Torah scroll in his memory at a synagogue in
the Nahaliel neighborhood of Hadera. In 2006 a public garden named after him.

 

Samih Sweidan



Border Police Chief-Superintendent Samih Sweidan, 31, of Arab al-Aramsha, was the
operations officer of Hebron’s Border Police unit and took command of the battle until
he was killed counterattacking the terrorists shortly after the firing began.

 

Sweidan served in the paratroops and took an officer’s course before joining the Border
Police. His company commander, Sudki Dabor, said Sweidan was a brave soldier who took
part in many battles and was wounded in one, but recuperated and returned to the front
line. “He didn’t know the meaning of fear. No one in the village knew of his prowess —
he used to take his uniform off when he came home.” He was a role model for his men,
Dabor added.

 

Ch.-Supt. Samih Sweidan was buried at the Arab al-Aramsha Military Cemetery. He is
survived by his father, six brothers and sisters, wife Ruhiya, and sons Salman, four,
and Imran, two.

Danny Cohen

 

Lt. Dan Cohen, 22, of Jerusalem and his troops, who were stationed outside Hebron,
arrived in the city after the battle began to help evacuate the wounded. He was shot and
killed while directing his armored personnel carrier to assist a group of soldiers
pinned down by sniper fire.

 

Dan, who was named for an uncle killed in the Yom Kippur War, graduated from yeshiva
high school in Efrat and the religious kibbutz yeshiva at Ein Zurim. He joined the
Nahal, where was a platoon commander, and was due to be discharged in August.

 

“Dani was an officer who truly and simply just loved his soldiers,” recalled his
commander, Lt.-Col. Eran Niv. “He told me, ‘I don’t want to be a company commander; I
want to stay close to my troops.’ “

 

His father, Yehuda, said: “Dani was a wonderful boy, very sensitive, a boy who always
loved to help. Such a serious and high quality boy has come to his end and we return him
to his Creator.”

 

Lt. Dan Cohen is survived by his parents, Yehuda and Nava, and older sisters, Meirav and
Ronit. He was buried at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery.

 

Dror Weinberg



Col. Dror Weinberg, 38, commanded the Hebron Brigade, was an outstanding field officer
and was slated to become commander of the Paratroop Brigade.

 

Weinberg was mortally wounded while leading his troops, who arrived at the scene of the
attack a short time after the first shots were fired. He died in the field despite
efforts to resuscitate him.

 

Most of Weinberg’s military service was in the Paratroop Brigade and the elite General
Staff Reconnaissance Unit, where he was a team commander. He also commanded a paratroop
battalion, an elite Maglan unit, and a reserve brigade. He was appointed commander of
the Hebron Brigade last year.

 

OC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Moshe Kaplinsky said that Weinberg had served in a number
of senior field positions “and all of them with excellence and in a way that so
characterized him: determination, absolute faith in the justice of his cause, leadership
ability, and remarkable self-control especially in difficult and developing situations
— and with all this, with a wonderful sensitivity for human life and feelings. In a
symbolic way, he was killed directly defending what he so much believed in: providing
security for the Jewish residents of this region, just as in any other place where he
was responsible.”

 

Col. Dror Weinberg was buried in the Kfar Sava Military Cemetery. He is survived by his
pregnant wife, Hadassah, and five children: a son Yoav, 14, daughter Yael, 11, and sons
Eitan, eight, Yishai, five, and Uri, three. Hadassh gave birth to a baby boy in April:
“This is the special gift Dror has left me,” she said.

 

Yeshayahu Davidov

 

Border Police St.-Sgt. Yeshayahu Davidov, 20, of Netanya, was a medic in the Border
Police’s Hebron battalion, Davidov was killed while trying to treat and extricate the
wounded.

Davidov immigrated with his family from Azerbaijan in 1990 and settled in Netanya. He
graduated high school with distinction and volunteered to perform his compulsory service
in the Border Police. “He really loved the Border Police and was addicted to serving in
the territories,” said a cousin, Matityahu Ya’acobov. He was due to be discharged in six
months and intended to study law.

 

St.-Sgt. Yeshayahu Davidov is survived by his parents, Moshe and Sonya, a sister, 21,
and brother, 11. He was buried in the Netanya Military Cemetery.

 

Gad Rahamim



Border Police Sgt. Gad Rahamim, 19, of Kiryat Malachi, was killed while trying to
extract a wounded comrade from the line of fire. “He had rescued one soldier when he was
hit,” said an uncle, Eli Garby. “Despite his wound, he volunteered to rescue his
operations officer, who was wounded in the second volley. His comrades tried to keep him
from going there, but he insisted and was killed in a burst of fire.”

Rahamim had received a certificate of recognition just four months before for helping to
capture the second most wanted terrorist in Hebron. He had served in the Border Police
for 15 months. “He was a faithful ambassador for the Border Police in Kiryat Malachi and
recruited a lot of youths,” said Garby.

 

“He was not afraid of anything,” said best friend Effi Elian. Rahamim had joined the
Border Police 14 months before after graduating from Kiryat Malachi’s comprehensive
religious high school. Elian saw him for the last time a week ago. “He was a quiet guy,
a serious, intelligent, giving man,” he said. “He persuaded me to join the army even
though I didn’t want to.”

 

Sgt. Gad Rahamim is survived by his parents, Tzila and Rahamim, a sister Liat, 17, and
two brothers, Nir, 12, and Avi, five. He was buried at the Kiryat Malachi Military
Cemetery.

 

David Marcus



St.-Sgt. David Marcus, 20, of Ma’aleh Adumim, served in the Nahal and was one of three
soldiers killed in the first burst of fire by the terrorists, who were disguised as
Jewish worshipers.

 

Marcus immigrated from Russia six years ago with his father, Immanuel, and brother,
Vitali, who is a warrant officer in the Armored Corps. The family lives in Ma’ale
Adumim, but Marcus’s mother, Frieda, remained in Russia.

Vitali related: “David would tell me every day on the phone that everything was alright
and that the settlers gave them fruit and drinks and that the whole sector was quiet.
But I never believed him. I always knew that he was in danger, but he didn’t talk about
it with us so we wouldn’t worry.

 

St.-Sgt. David Marcus is survived by his parents, Immanuel and Frieda, and brother,
Vitali. He was buried at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery.

 

Tomer Nov



Border Police Sgt. Tomer Nov, 19, of Ashdod, was conscripted eight months before and
chose to do his compulsory service in the Border Police. He was killed by a burst of
fire when he left his jeep to return fire.

 

His elder brother, Guy, 31, said he had wanted to serve in the Border Police since he
was 16 and looked forward to a career in the police. “He wanted to be a lawman, that was
his dream. If you called and asked him for help, he would come to help immediately, even
if he didn’t know you. When he came home on leave once every three weeks, he’d ask me
for NIS 20 to go out with, then use the money to put gas in our father’s car.”

 

His girlfriend for the past four years, Inbal Shtar, a border policewoman, said: “When
he finished school, he simply insisted on doing combat service, even though he had
asthma.”

 

Sgt. Tomer Nov was buried in the military section of the Ashdod Cemetery. He is survived
by his parents, Lea and Moshe, his brother Guy, and sister Limor, 28.

 

Igor Drobitsky



Sgt. Igor Drobitsky, 20, of Nahariya, served as a medic in the Nahal Brigade in Hebron
and died trying to treat and evacuate his wounded comrades.

He immigrated to Israel with his parents, Genadi and Eva, in 1996 from Birobidjan,
Russia, and settled in Nahariya. After graduating from the naval academy in Acre and
training as a medic, Drobitsky was posted to Hebron a week before the ambush.

 

“He loved looking after people and planned to become a qualified nurse after the army,”
said a friend, Danny Slutzky. He also played the guitar and loved jazz.

 

Drobitsky was concerned that his mother would worry, and so told her that he served in a
base near Tel Aviv. “Igor was a true patriot, and felt that his serving in Hebron would
protect the country,” said his brother, Roman, 27. “I’ve lost a dear, beloved brother
and a good and pure man.”

 

Sgt. Igor Drobitsky is survived by his parents and brother. He was buried in the
Nahariya Military Cemetery.

 

Alexander Dohan



Alexander Dohan, 33, of Kiryat Arba, left his home with his colleagues in the emergency
response team as soon as they heard shooting. After they reached the scene of the
attack, Dohan managed to evacuate some of the wounded before he was shot and
killed.

 

“He was always ready for any action,” recalled a neighbor whose husband was a fellow
response team member. “He volunteered and even when he wasn’t on duty he carried his
weapon so as to be ready for any eventuality. That was just his mentality — Alex was a
man who loved to help; a man with a special integrity, who didn’t like to hurt anyone
and was as straight as an arrow.”

 

Dohan immigrated from France 16 years ago and moved to Kiryat Arba 10 years ago with his
wife, Rivka. The two had four children. He worked as a computer programmer until the
recession forced him to work full time in security.

 

Alexander Dohan is survived by his wife, Rivka, and sons Yehuda, eight, Eliahu, six, and
Yohai, five, and daughter, Tehila, three. He was buried with two other members of his
team in a military ceremony at Har Hamenuhot Cemetery in Jerusalem.

 

Yitzchak Boanish

 

Yitzchak Boanish (also spelled Buanish), 46, of Kiryat Arba, a veteran Kiryat Arba
security officer, heard the sounds of fighting as he was having dinner with his family,
and set out with his emergency response team to help and to evacuate wounded. The team
managed to shoot at least one of the terrorists before Buanish was shot and
killed.

 

As Kiryat Arba’s security officer for 12 years, Buanish and had set up emergency
response units in dozens of settlements. “Yitzhak was a man who talked little but did a
lot,” said a friend. “He was a symbol of heroism, determination, and courage. His death
was a tough blow to the morale of all the inhabitants of the area, and a blow to
security.”

 

OC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Moshe Kaplinsky called Buanish “a pillar of the region’s
security.”

 

Yitzhak Buanish is survived by his wife, Rivka, and seven children: Ma’ayan, 20, Yehuda,
Hedva, Naomi, Yohai, Noa, and Oz, three. He was buried with two other members of his
team in a military ceremony at Har Hamenuhot Cemetery in Jerusalem.

 

 

* Dr. Avshalom Kor speech at
memorial in Hebrew

* Col.
Dror Weinberg and Hebron Connection – Jerusalem Post

* Remembering Those
Lost on the One Year Anniversary – David
Wilder 

* A Field
of Life – Remembering Dror Weinberg at his funeral –
David Wilder

* October 2022 Terrorist
Attack Takes life of 50-Year-Old Father

 

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