156.114.128.71: irrelevant

2022-01-05T10:23:23Z

irrelevant

New page

{{Infobox person
| name = Yahya Ayyash
| image = Yahya Ayyash.jpg
| birth_date = 6 March 1966
| birth_place = [[Rafat, Salfit|Rafat]], [[West Bank]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1996|01|05|1966|02|22}}
| death_place = [[Beit Lahia]], [[Gaza Strip]]
| alma_mater = [[Birzeit University]]
| organization = [[Hamas]]
}}

'''Yahya Abd-al-Latif Ayyash''' ({{lang-ar|يحيى عياش}}) (6 March 1966<ref>Katz 2002, p. 70.</ref> – 5 January 1996) was the chief bombmaker of [[Hamas]] and the leader of the [[West Bank]] battalion of the [[Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades]]. In that capacity, he earned the nickname ''the Engineer'' ({{lang-ar|المهندس}}, transliterated ''al-Muhandis''). Ayyash is credited with advancing the technique of [[suicide bombing]] in the [[Israeli-Palestinian conflict]]. The bombings he orchestrated caused the deaths of approximately 90 Israelis, many of them civilians.<ref>Katz, 256</ref> He was assassinated by [[Shin Bet]] on 5 January 1996.<ref>Former Shin Bet director Carmi Gillon confirmed the story in the documentary ''The Gatekeepers''.</ref>

Ayyash is celebrated by local Palestinian communities who have named streets and other locales in his honor.<ref name="Katz, 260"/><ref name="itic"/><ref>[[J.J. Goldberg]], [http://forward.com/opinion/318420/the-problem-with-netanyahus-response-to-jewish-terror/ 'The Problem With Netanyahu's Response to Jewish Terror,'] [[The Forward]] 4 August 2015.</ref>

==Early life==
Ayyash was born in [[Rafat, Salfit|Rafat]] on 6 March 1966, the eldest of three brothers. As a child, he was very pious, receiving an award from the [[Islamic Trust]]<ref>{{cite journal |last=Van Tuyll |first=Frederik |title=The emergence of the Islamic trust |journal=Trusts and Trustees |volume=12 |issue=9 |pages=7–9 |year=2009 |doi=10.1093/tandt/ttl009 |quote=The Islamic trust, governed by both the laws of the jurisdiction under which it is written and by Shari'ah law, has become a popular financial and devolution planning vehicle for assets held by Muslims.}}</ref> for his talent in [[Hafiz (Quran)|memorizing the Quran]]. While a boy, Ayyash showed a [[aptitude|talent]] for electrical and mechanical work—repairing [[radio]]s, [[television]] sets, and the like. After graduating from high school in 1985, he entered [[Birzeit University]] in 1987. He received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering in 1991.<ref>Katz 2002, p. 9, 70–71.</ref>

Described as "well educated, ambitious, and soft-spoken," Ayyash hailed from a relatively affluent family. Married, with one child, Ayyash had planned to study for a [[master's degree]] in [[Jordan]], but was denied permission to do so by Israeli authorities. It was around this time he joined Hamas.<ref name=Rosalerp36>Rosaler 2003, p. 36.</ref>

==Work for Hamas==
{{refimprove section|date=January 2017}}
Ayyash built the bombs used in a number of [[List of Palestinian suicide attacks|Hamas suicide attacks]]: the [[Mehola Junction bombing]], the [[Afula Bus massacre]], the [[Hadera central station massacre]], the [[Tel Aviv bus 5 massacre]],<ref name=Rubin135/> the [[Egged bus 36 bombing]], the [[Ramat Gan bus 20 bombing]], and the [[Jerusalem bus 26 bombing]]. As part of a strategic alliance between Hamas and [[Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine|Palestinian Islamic Jihad]], Ayyash built the bombs used by Islamic Jihad at the [[Beit Lid massacre]].<ref>Katz 2002, p. 77, (Bet El), pp. 106–109 (Afula and Hadera), p. 147 (#5 bus), p. 167 (Biet Lid), p. 191 (#20 bus), p. 197 (#26 bus).</ref>

Because [[trinitrotoluene|TNT]] and other high explosives were generally not available in the Palestinian territories (the [[West Bank]] and [[Gaza strip]]), Ayyash often used a combination of [[acetone]] and detergent, both commonly available household products. When combined, they form [[acetone peroxide]], an explosive known as "Mother of Satan" for its instability.

===Ramat Ef'al===
Ayyash first came to the attention of Israeli security forces as a result of the failed bombing of [[Ramat Ef'al]]. Following a [[high-speed chase]], three would-be Hamas suicide bombers were arrested by police. When police inspected their car, they found it rigged with a bomb—five {{convert|12|kg|adj=on}} gasoline tanks filled to capacity, connected to an acetone peroxide-based detonator. After evacuating the area, [[sapper]]s used a robot armed with a shotgun to shoot the detonator, in the hopes of defusing it. Instead, it detonated, in a massive explosion. [Police investigators] "were sure that if it had been detonated in a crowded area, it would have killed hundreds".

Israeli investigators learned Ayyash's name during subsequent interrogation of the three arrested suspects.<ref>Katz 2002, pp. 5–9.</ref>

==Assassination==
Following the assassination of [[Yitzhak Rabin]], the [[Palestinian Authority]] began to cooperate more closely with Shin Bet in hunting Ayyash.<ref>Katz 2002, p. 248.</ref> Shin Bet learned (through means that remain classified {{As of|2014|alt=to this day}}){{Citation needed|date=August 2014}} that Ayyash had, on occasion, spent the night in the [[Gaza City]] home of Osama Hamad, a childhood friend of his.<ref>Katz 2002, p. 249.</ref> Shin Bet had previously had dealings with Kamil Hamad, Osama Hamad's uncle.

In October 1995, Shin Bet operatives approached Kamil Hamad. Kamil Hamad demanded money and Israeli identity cards for himself and his wives. After the Shin Bet threatened to inform Hamas of his betrayal, Kamil Hamad agreed to cooperate. Shin Bet agents gave Hamad a cell phone, and told him it was [[Covert listening device|bugged]] so they could listen in on Ayyash's conversations.<ref>Katz 2002, pp. 251–252.</ref> They did not tell Hamad that, in addition to eavesdropping devices, it also contained 15 grams of [[RDX]] explosive.<ref name="Katz, 260">Katz 2002, p. 260.</ref>

Kamil Hamad gave the phone to his nephew Osama, knowing that Ayyash regularly used Osama's phones.<ref>Katz 2002, p. 257.</ref> At 08:00 on 5 January 1996, Ayyash's father called him. Ayyash picked it up and talked with his father. Overhead, an Israeli plane picked up their conversation and relayed it to an Israeli command post. When it was confirmed that it was Ayyash on the phone, Shin Bet remotely detonated it, killing Ayyash instantly.<ref name="Katz, 260"/> He was killed in [[Beit Lahia]].<ref name="NYTimes">[https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/06/world/palestinian-believed-to-be-bombing-mastermind-is-killed.html Palestinian Believed to Be Bombing Mastermind Is Killed], ''New York Times''</ref>

Israel has a policy that it never confirms or denies [[Targeted killings by Israel Defense Forces|its participation]] in targeted killings. Per this policy, Israel did not confirm or deny its role in killing Ayyash.<ref name="NYTimes"/> This led to wild rumors and speculations as to the extent of their involvement. In 2012, former Shin Bet director [[Carmi Gillon]] confirmed the story in the documentary ''[[The Gatekeepers (film)|''The Gatekeepers]]''. Kamil Hamad has disappeared; the Israeli press speculates that for betraying Ayyash he received US$1 million, a fake passport and a visa to the US.<ref>{{Cite news|title = How the phone bomb was set up|url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/how-the-phone-bomb-was-set-up-1323096.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140421081912/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/how-the-phone-bomb-was-set-up-1323096.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2014-04-21|work= The Independent|access-date = 2015-10-10}}</ref>

===Aftermath===
Following Ayyash's death, four suicide bombings killed seventy-eight Israelis in February and March 1996.<ref name=Rubin135/> The [[Jaffa Road bus bombings|first of these]] took place shortly after the end of the 40-day mourning period for Ayyash and the cell that claimed responsibility called itself "Disciples of the martyr Yahya 'Ayyash", stating it was a revenge attack for his assassination. Israeli security services who later interrogated one of the organizers of the attacks said they were carried out by a sub-group of the [[Qassam Brigades]], and that, "the attacks were most probably a direct reaction to the assassination of 'Ayyash [with] no far-reaching political goal."<ref name=Gunningp210>Gunning 2008, [https://books.google.com/books?id=9-WfAK7HXCYC&pg=PA210&dq=ayyash&lr=&as_brr=3#v=onepage&q=ayyash&f=false p. 210].</ref>

==Veneration in Palestinian society==
''[[The Militant]]'', an international [[Communism|communist]] newsweekly, reported that "100,000 Palestinians... attended the funeral".<ref>[http://www.themilitant.com/1996/603/603_19.html Gaza: 100,000 Palestinians Protest Assassination]. ''[[The Militant]]''. 22 January 1996</ref> [[Yasser Arafat]], president of the [[Palestinian National Authority]] (PA), offered his condolences to Hamas leaders. In a speech soon after the death, Arafat praised Ayyash as a martyr and blamed Israel for his assassination.<ref name=Rubin135>Rubin 1999, p. 135.</ref>

In April 2010, Israel's [[Channel 10 (Israel)|Channel 10]] reported that the Palestinian Authority named a street in Ramallah after Ayyash. The future presidential compound of the PA is being built on the street. Only a few weeks earlier, a square in Ramallah was named after the Palestinian militant [[Dalal Mughrabi]] who directed the 1978 [[Coastal Road massacre]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Israel slams naming of Ramallah street after arch-terrorist|author=Herb Keinon |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post|date=8 April 2008|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=172631}}</ref> PA sources said the PA did not intend to name the street after Ayyash. The Ramallah Municipality stated that the street name had been chosen at the end of the 1990s shortly after Ayyash's death.<ref name="itic">{{cite web|url=http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/pa_e005.htm |title=The Palestinian Authority still allows and even encourages shaheeds to be turned into role models|date=12 April 2010|publisher=Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center |access-date=12 April 2010}}</ref> In response, Israel, the United States and Canada condemned the Palestinian Authority.<ref name="mfa">{{cite web|url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Palestinian_incitement/Israel_condemns_naming_street_after_terrorist_7_Apr_2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012084319/http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-%2BObstacle%2Bto%2BPeace/Palestinian_incitement/Israel_condemns_naming_street_after_terrorist_7_Apr_2010 |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 October 2012 |title=Israel condemns the naming of a street in Ramallah after terrorist Yehiye Ayash |date=7 April 2010 |publisher=Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs |access-date=12 April 2010 }}</ref><ref name="state">{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2010/4/139894.htm |title=Daily Press Briefing |date=7 April 2010 |publisher=U.S. Department of State |access-date=12 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412120457/http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2010/4/139894.htm |archive-date=April 12, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Canada condemns decision to name PA building after terrorist|agency=AFP|newspaper=YnetNews|date=9 April 2008 |url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3873490,00.html}}</ref> The Israeli Prime Minister's Office called it an "outrageous glorification of terrorism by the Palestinian Authority"<ref name="mfa"/> while a U.S. State Department spokesperson stated "we also strongly condemn the glorification of terrorists. Honoring terrorists who have murdered innocent civilians either by official statements or by the dedication of public places hurts peace efforts and must end."<ref name="state"/>

The PA had previously named streets in [[Jenin]]<ref name="itic"/> and Beit Lahia as well as square in [[Jericho]] in honor of Ayyash.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zoa.org/sitedocuments/pressrelease_view.asp?pressreleaseID=718|title=Abbas' PA Again Honors Terrorist Who Murdered Israelis|date=14 July 2008|publisher=Zionist Organization of America|access-date=12 April 2010}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|title=Hamas in politics: democracy, religion, violence|first1=Jeroen|last1=Gunning|publisher=Columbia University Press|year=2008|isbn=978-0-231-70044-3}}
* {{cite book |author-link=Samuel M. Katz |last=Katz |first=Samuel |title=The Hunt for the Engineer |publisher=[[Lyons Press]] |year=2002 |isbn=1-58574-749-1 }}
* {{Cite book|title=Hamas: Palestinian Terrorists|author=Maxine Rosaler|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|year=2003|isbn=978-0-8239-3820-9}}
* {{cite book|title=The Transformation of Palestinian Politics: From Revolution to State-Building|first=Barry|last=Rubin|year=1999|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=0-674-00071-4|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/transformationof00rubi}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ayyash, Yahya}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:Hamas military members]]
[[Category:Birzeit University alumni]]
[[Category:Palestinian electrical engineers]]
[[Category:Assassinated Palestinian people]]
[[Category:Palestinian militants]]
[[Category:Suicide bombing in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict]]
[[Category:Palestinian mass murderers]]
[[Category:People from Rafat, Salfit]]
[[Category:Palestinian murder victims]]
[[Category:Assassinated Hamas members]]
[[Category:20th-century engineers]]

Yahya Ayyash - Revision history

156.114.128.71: irrelevant