Bus on Jaffa Road

by Mike Kelly

  In Israel, Major Koby Zrihen of the Israeli National Police walked me through the crime scene of the Jaffa Road bombing. Dr. Yehuda Hiss of the National Institute of Forensic Medicine supplied autopsy records and background on the effect that explosions have on the human body. Dr. Avi Rivkind, the chief trauma surgeon of Hadassah Ein Karem Medical Center also explained the numerous medical issues from terrorist bombings and described in detail how he treated the dead and the wounded after the Jaffa Road bombings and later surgically repaired Hassan Salameh’s wounds. Several staffers with Israel’s national ambulance service, Madan David Adom, also guided me through the bomb scene. These include Yonatan Yagodovsky, Dr. Eli Jaffe, and David Sofer. Others who generously offered accounts of the bombing and its aftermath include Leah Stein Mousa, Phyllis Rosenbaum, Jeffrey Sosland, and journalists Roni Shaked and Nahum Barnea, whose son, Yonatan, was killed on the same bus with Sara Duker and Matthew Eisenfeld.

  Israel’s Shin Bet counterterrorism agency steered me through their investigation of the Jaffa Road bombing and their hunt for Hassan Salameh. Among the former officials who spoke on the record were Ami Ayalon, Avi Dichter, Yisrael Hasson, Reuven Paz, and Barak Ben Zur.

  Retired military judge Ilan Katz reviewed the transcripts of the Salameh trial, as did retired prosecutor Avinoam Sharon. Also, in Israel, Avi Gill offered insight into the issues facing Prime Minister Shimon Peres in the wake of the Jaffa Road bombings, as did David Baker and Mark Regev of the staff of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Also helpful were staff members of the Israeli consulate in New York City, notably Shani Rozanes and Shahar Azani, as well as the former consul general, Colette Avital. Sivan Weitzman of Israel’s prison service patiently answered my questions about Hassan Salameh, as did Emi Palmor of the Ministry of Justice. Lt. Col. Peter Lerner of the Israeli Defence Force helped track down transcripts from Salameh’s military trial.

  From the Palestinian side, a number of officials, including Jibril Rajoub, offered background on the influence of Hamas, the multiple dilemmas created by Yasser Arafat, and the problems in dealing with the rise in suicide bombings. Others declined to be named because of the volatile nature of Palestinian politics in both the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.

  In writing about Sara, Matthew, and Alisa, I relied heavily on their friends and former colleagues for insight into their personalities and dreams. I am especially grateful to Matthew Berkowitz, Shlomo Tucker, Joyce Raynor, Moshe Benovitz, Abby Sosland, Joshua Cahan, Menachem Schrader, David Hoffman, William Lebeau, Peter Beinart, Nora Selengut Brooke, Elli Saks, Tal Winberger, Devorah Schoenfeld, Avigayl Young, Edward Bernstein, Shai Held, Aharon Oren, Peter Bower, Stephanie Pfirman, Celia Deutsch, Ted Scott, Xiao-Guang Sun, Oshrat Carmiel, Charles Sheer, Ross Felix, Rivkah and Joel Fishman, Ayala Levin-Kruss, Aliza Berger-Cooper, Rahel Jaskow, James Ponet, Francine Sears, Michael Bernstein, Linda Gissen, Chana Henkin, and Simi Peters.

  Finally, I owe my deepest gratitude to the Duker, Eisenfeld, and Flatow families—especially to Arline Duker, Leonard and Vicki Eisenfeld, and to Stephen Flatow. Recounting the stories of the deaths of their children was sometimes not easy for them, but each was invariably available to answer the smallest of questions or to supply personal documents and photographs. This book is a tribute to their courage and humanity.

  Index

  Abu Nidal, 107

  Achille Lauro (ship), 107

  Albright, Madeleine, 64, 199, 222

  Amar, Masuda, 27, 190

  Anderson, Terry, 107, 259, 283

  Annie (homeless person), 86–89, 98

  Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA), 104–11, 115, 131, 138, 163, 164, 177–79, 195–98, 201, 209

  Arafat, Suha, 273

  Arafat, Yasser, 18, 20, 24–25, 35, 41–42, 65, 67, 68–69, 93–94, 112, 131, 141–42, 158, 198–99, 237, 258, 276, 289

  Ashkelon bombing, 36, 42–43, 55, 65, 71, 82, 182

  Avital, Colette, 81–82, 117, 118, 162

  Avital, Shmulik, 33

  Ayalon, Ami, 23, 24, 35, 41, 42

  Ayash, Hofit, 82

  Ayyash, Yahya, 22–23, 28, 56, 65–66, 119, 120–21, 141, 144, 154, 156, 157, 172, 173

  Barak, Ehud, 258

  Barnea, Nahum, 25, 43, 82, 190

  Barnea, Yonatan, 26, 43, 82, 190

  Basulto, Jose, 60

  Beit El, 180, 290

  Ben-Zur, Barak, 21

  Berger, Aliza, 13, 15, 16

  Berger, Kenneth, 79–81

  Berger, Sandy, 62, 226–27, 276

  Berko, Anat, 153

  Berkowitz, Matthew, 88, 90, 97

  Bernstein, Edward, 27, 88, 95, 97

  Bernstein, Michael, 89–90, 97

  Bernstein, Tracie, 89–90

  Biton, Daniel, 27, 190

  Boim, David, 239, 248, 253

  Botwin, Yael, 248

  Bradley, Bill, 133

  Brandon, Harry, 216

  Breinholt, Jeffrey, 246–50

  Brothers to the Rescue, 59–65, 111, 115, 201, 223, 226, 259, 274

  Bush, George W., 257–58, 286

  Campuzano, Diana, 253

  Carmiel, Oshrat, 84

  Cave of Patriarchs/Machpelah, 24, 75, 140

  Christopher, Warren, 59, 78

  Clawson, Patrick, 205–19, 243, 260

  Clinton, Bill, 18, 61, 62, 63, 64–65, 92, 103–5, 110–11, 112, 115, 130–31, 133, 162–63, 176, 222, 223–24, 225–26, 229–31, 244, 257, 269, 270, 272–73, 274–77, 279–81, 285–86

  Clinton, Hillary Rodham, 257–58, 271–75, 281, 285, 286

  Cohen, Arik, 33

  Cohen, David, 173–75

  Cuba, 59–65, 92, 111, 201, 223, 226, 227, 259

  Dahan, Michael, 32

  Dayan, Uzi, 146–47

  Deif, Mohammed, 156–58, 171, 172, 173–75, 177, 269

  Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, 155, 168

  Deutsch, Celia, 84–85, 267

  Dichter, Avi, 144

  Dole, Robert, 63, 109, 111, 162

  Duker, Ariella, 45, 46, 50, 79, 85, 261–62, 287, 296, 300

  Duker, Arline, 44–50, 53–54, 71–73, 79, 88, 95, 103–5, 111–16, 161, 162–64, 181, 198–99, 220, 233, 243, 256, 259–70, 287, 296, 299–300

  Duker, Ben-Zion, 45

  Duker, Sara, 4–5, 11–17, 25–35, 44–50, 65, 70–71, 74–78, 81, 84–92, 95–99, 183, 184, 190, 261–63, 265, 266–67, 288, 292–93, 301–2

  Duker, Tamara, 45, 46, 49–50, 79, 85, 262–63, 287

  Eichmann, Adolf, 185

  Eisenfeld, Amy, 86, 260–61

  Eisenfeld, Leonard, 50–54, 79, 95, 99, 103–5, 111–16, 161–66, 173, 176–77, 181, 198, 199, 220, 233, 243, 250, 252, 256, 259–70, 296, 299–300

  Eisenfeld, Matt, 12–13, 16–17, 25–35, 50–53, 65, 70–71, 74–92, 95–99, 183, 184, 190, 260–61, 263–66, 301–2

  Eisenfeld, Vicki, 50–54, 79, 95–96, 103–5, 111–16, 114, 115–16, 161–66, 162–66, 173, 176–77, 181, 198, 199, 220, 233–34, 243, 250, 253–54, 256–57, 259–70, 296, 299–300

  Eizenstat, Stuart, 221–22, 227–30, 231, 257, 258, 275, 278, 279–80, 281–82, 283–84, 298

  Fay, Thomas Fortune, 200–205, 209–19, 222–27, 231–33, 242–44, 256–57, 259–70, 281, 296–97

  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 162, 164–65, 235–37, 240–42, 245–49, 250–51, 254–55

  Fishman, Joel, 16, 50

  Fishman, Rivkah, 16, 50, 98

  Flatow, Alisa, 22, 56, 58–59, 71, 117–18, 120–30, 172, 200, 203–4, 289

  Flatow, Etan, 127, 199

  Flatow, Francine, 127, 199

  Flatow, Gail, 127, 199

  Flatow, Ilana, 127, 199

  Flatow, Roslyn, 122, 123, 124, 127, 130, 199

  Flatow, Stephen, 22, 56–
57, 71–73, 95, 112, 113, 116–18, 122–33, 137–38, 161–63, 177–79, 181, 195–219, 222–33, 244–45, 250, 253, 258, 271–78, 280, 282, 297, 299

  Flatow Amendment, 178–79

  Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, 105–11, 136

  Gaby, Arik, 190

  al- Gaddafi, Muammar, 118

  Ganchrow, Mandell, 271–72, 273–74

  Gantz, Peretz, 27, 82

  Gaza Strip, 19–20, 22, 24, 55, 56, 57, 68, 121–26, 156, 289–91

  al-Ghoul, Adnan, 56, 172, 173, 181, 248

  Gill, Avi, 69, 141–42

  Glasser, Ira, 104

  Goldstein, Baruch, 24, 27, 66, 75–76, 140

  Gore, Al, 223–24, 258

  Graney, Tom, 242, 254–55

  Gush Katif, Gaza Strip, 122, 125, 150, 174, 176

  Hadassah University Hospital Ein Kerem, 36, 37, 40, 147–48

  Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement), 18, 21, 23, 55, 65–66, 67, 69, 93, 96, 106, 112, 119, 120–21, 141–45, 147, 150–60, 164, 166–68, 170, 173, 205–9, 289

  Hamdan, Osama, 170

  Hamida, Ahmed Abdel Hamid, 92–93

  Hanuka, Sharon, 190

  Hashemi-Rafsanjani, Ali Akbar, 197

  Hasson, Yisrael, 41, 42, 141, 144–46

  Hebron shootings, 24, 27, 66, 75–76, 140

  Held, Shai, 12, 28, 85

  Hezbollah, 21, 106, 107, 151–52, 154, 206

  Hiss, Yehuda, 70–71

  Holocaust, 131–34, 185, 229

  Huja, Avi, 29, 32–33

  Indyk, Martin, 54–56, 58, 78, 128, 142, 208, 250, 252–53

  Intifada, 150–51

  Iran, 56, 58, 69, 106, 107, 110, 138, 142, 160, 164, 166, 167, 170–71, 175, 179, 196–219, 221–27, 243, 256, 257, 259–83, 296, 297–98, 299

  Iran Hostage Crisis, 106–7, 211

  Islam, 21, 151–52, 207–8

  Israeli National Police, 38–40, 66, 144, 148–49

  Jaffa Road bus bombing (February 25, 1996), 4–5, 24–27, 29–35, 39–41, 65–68, 70–71, 80, 97, 140, 142–43, 157–58, 166, 174, 182–84, 190, 234, 243, 249, 294, 301–2

  Jaffa Road bus bombing (March 3, 1996), 96, 158, 182, 184

  Jaffa Road market bombings, 199, 248

  Justice Department, 164–65, 239–42, 245, 248, 250, 255, 297

  Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, 259, 277–85

  Katz, Ilan, 181–83, 184, 187–91

  Kawasmeh, Wael Jumah, 27, 190

  Kfar Darom, Gaza Strip, 125–26, 150, 174

  Khair, Nahed Abu, 291

  Khamenei, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini, 197, 217

  Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, 119, 150, 156, 168–69, 173, 174

  Klein, Morton, 238, 239

  Klinghoffer, Leon, 107, 111

  Kushnirov, Anatoli, 27, 80, 190

  Kushnirov, Jana, 26–27, 80, 190

  Lamberth, Royce C., 195–97, 201–5, 209–19, 221–22, 224–25, 256, 259–70, 297

  Larsen, Terje Roed-, 18–20, 24–25, 68–69, 141–42, 258

  Lautenberg, Frank, 128, 178–79, 198–99, 222–27, 244, 250, 252, 259, 275, 277–78, 280, 283–86, 298

  Lebanon, 107–8, 151–52, 154, 207, 211

  Lebeau, William, 91, 96–98, 239

  Levine, Chavi, 124–25

  Lewin, Nathan, 239, 253

  Lieberman, Joseph, 274

  LoBiondo, Frank, 179

  Mack, Connie, 259, 277–80, 283–86, 298

  martyrdom theology, 4, 20, 152–54, 186, 294

  martyrs’ crossroads, 180, 290

  McKune, Kenneth R., 165–66, 176–77, 198, 208, 240

  Mossad, 56, 118, 162, 185, 187, 260

  Mousa, Leah Stein, 25, 29, 34, 37–38, 78, 278–79, 298–99

  Nachum, Merav, 190

  Nazis, 131–33, 185, 187

  Netanyahu, Benjamin, 57, 67–68, 94–95, 139, 162, 258, 293–94

  9/11, 2–4

  Nuccio, Richard, 61–63

  Ohayon, Yosy, 148–49, 155, 158, 159

  Oklahoma City bombing, 109, 111

  Oslo Peace Accords, 18, 23–24, 27, 42, 47, 55, 57, 58, 67, 85, 93, 94, 103, 142, 235, 237, 258, 289

  Paige, Jerome, 262

  Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), 21, 55, 93, 98, 106, 117–18, 120, 138, 151, 154, 162, 164, 173, 206–9, 217

  Pan Am Flight 103, 107–8, 110, 111

  Paz, Reuven, 204–5, 260

  Peres, Shimon, 57–58, 67–68, 69, 92–95, 112, 139, 142, 147, 162

  Perles, Steven, 131, 134–38, 163, 166, 197–99, 200–205, 209–19, 222–33, 242–44, 256, 259–70, 273–75, 287, 296–97

  Phillips, Esther Daniels, 70–71

  Port, Larry, 85

  Princz, Hugo, 131–33, 135–36, 229

  al-Qaradawi, Sheik Yusuf, 154

  al-Qassam Brigade, 146, 147, 149, 156, 166, 168

  Rabin, Leah, 276

  Rabin, Yitzhak, 18, 23–24, 35, 55, 67, 81, 121, 151

  Rajoub, Jibril, 141, 143, 237

  Rajoub, Rizzek, 143, 158, 159, 237

  al-Ramahi, Mahmoud, 290

  Ramallah, 19, 153, 180

  Reagan, Ronald, 108

  Rehnquist, William, 176, 195–96

  Reynolds, Jim, 245–46, 248

  Richard, Mark, 239–40, 249–52

  Riley, Kathleen, 44, 46–47, 47–53, 74

  Rivivo, Avi, 33

  Rivkind, Avraham, 36–37, 147–48

  Roed-Larsen, Terje, 18–20, 24–25, 68–69, 141–42, 258

  Ross, Dennis, 54–55, 57–58, 237–38, 239, 258

  Rubin, Robert, 222

  Rubin, Yitzhak, 32

  Rusa, Kesari, 124–25

  al-Saadi, Rabi, 169

  Sabih, Nafez Mahmoud, 238–41, 249

  Salameh, Hassan, 1–2, 6–7, 35, 56, 67, 96, 114, 119, 142–43, 145, 147–60, 162, 167–76, 177, 180–91, 234, 242–47, 249, 251–52, 254–55, 260, 288–89, 292–93, 297

  Saxton, James, 179

  Schrader, Menachem, 75–77

  Scott, Ted, 84

  Segal, Benjamin, 86

  Senate Judiciary Committee, 278–79

  September 11, 2001 attacks, 2–4

  Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 37–38

  Shaqaqi, Fathi, 117–18, 162, 207, 217

  Sharon, Avinoam, 183–86, 301–3

  Sharpolinsky, Boris, 82, 190

  Shin Bet, 21, 22–23, 35, 41, 42, 56, 65, 66–67, 140–41, 142–43, 187, 241, 246–47

  60 Minutes, 230–31, 234, 243, 249

  Sofer, David, 31, 33, 37–38, 42–43, 278–79

  Sosland, Jeffery, 26, 29

  Specter, Arlen, 109–10, 250, 251–52, 254

  State Department, 164–66, 221, 223, 230, 231–33, 237, 276, 279, 286

  Stethem, Robert, 107, 111, 115

  Stevens, Ted, 134–35

  Sun, Xiao-Guang, 82–83

  Tel Aviv bombings, 98, 120–21

  Torricelli, Robert, 61, 298

  Treasury Department, 222–23, 225, 226, 244, 287, 299

  TWA hijacking, 107

  Ungar, David, 248

  US Marines bombings, 21, 152, 206, 297, 298

  Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act, 285

  Wachsman, Nachshon, 248

  Wadi, Jamil, 158

  Wardeh, Intesar, 66, 295

  Wardeh, Majdi Abu, 17–18, 29–30, 41, 66–67, 115, 157, 158, 180, 294–96

  Wardeh, Mohammad Abu, 67, 114, 115, 157, 158, 162, 177

  Wardeh, Muhammed Abu, 66, 295–96

  Wardeh, Mussab, 294–95

  Weinberger, Tal, 85

  Weinstein, Ira, 27, 71, 78, 165, 184, 278, 298

  West Bank, 1
9, 24, 41, 55, 56, 57, 68, 289

  World Trade Center attacks, 2–4, 109, 111

  Yassin, Sheik Ahmed, 121, 152–54

  Young, Avigal, 97

  Zaguri, Celine, 82

  Zihuy Korbanot Ason (ZAKA), 40, 43

  Zionist Organization of America, 238, 245

  Zrihen, Koby, 38–41, 249

  About the Author

  Mike Kelly is an award-winning columnist at The (Bergen) Record in New Jersey and the author of two previous books: Color Lines, a critically acclaimed account of race relations in a small town and Fresh Jersey, a collection of his columns. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, Kelly embarked on a variety of reporting projects to chronicle the impact of terrorism on the lives of ordinary people. His travels have taken him to Iraq, Malaysia, Northern Ireland, Kenya, and Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. He is married, the father of two daughters, and lives in Teaneck, New Jersey.