Friends

Today I want to tell you about the terrible tragedy that occurred in Israel on the 11th of March, 1978. In the history, the events of the day came as the Coastal Road massacre in which were killed 39 Israelis (13 of them - children) another 70 were injured.

What happened on that terrible day? 13 militants of Fatah were planning a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv. They had reached the city by sea in rubber boats. But they failed to comply route. Two terrorists were drowned in the sea, eleven went ashore near Zichron Yakov. Group was managed by a of nineteen-year-old Dalal al-Mugrabi.

At first, terrorists met the photographer - American Gail Rubin. She loved landscape photography, made shots when a fateful meeting occured. Militants questioned the woman about the location and shot her. One of the terrorists of Fatah later said the cause was a visa. Gail said that she received it from the government of Israel, Dalal said that she had to ask her about it, because the land – is hers, not Israelis.

After that killing terrorists divided. Some - took the bus, others - taxi. The bus was full of tourists, they returned from the tour of workers of the cooperative "Egged". For the first time they were able to get acquainted closer with colleagues and to their families in an informal trip to stalactite caves.

The ultimate goal of the militants was a hotel in Tel Aviv. Subsequently, the two groups merged in the bus where they were holding hostages. Along the way, the terrorists fired cars that drove past.

Finally, Israeli security forces managed to stop the bus, they shot its wheels. One of the drivers from the cooperative "Egged" volunteered as the mediate because he knew Arabic. But when he went to the border to security forces, militants shot him in the stomach. He died in hospital.

The negotiations were disrupted, passengers fell into despair and tried to escape. Then the terrorists opened fire on unarmed people .. And finally - blew up a bus.

9 militants were eliminated, among them - Dalal al-Mugrabi. Two were captured alive. They were exchanged after seven years' of imprisonment in an Israeli prison. One of them later became a member of the Revolutionary Council of Fatah. Palestinians made a real icon from Dalal. In her honor named streets, military and police schools, camps and school. It seems thatthere is nothing to add.

Israel remembers the terrible grief. Even the terrible bus survived until now - he is in the Museum of buses in Holon. Because there is tragedy, along with the most tragic scenario that movie – is nothing. For this is reality.

Eternal memory to the fallen.