Night of the Pitchforks

Night of the Pitchforks
The attack site
Location	IDF military recruit training base near Kibbutz Gal'ed, Israel
Date	February 14, 1992
Weapons	knives, axes and a pitchfork
Deaths	3 Israeli soldiers
Injured	1 Israeli soldier
Perpetrators	Israeli Arab militants from the Wadi Ara area

The Night of the Pitchforks (Hebrew: ליל הקילשונים, Leil HaKilshonim), refers to an incident that took place on February 14, 1992, in which Israeli Arab militants from the Wadi Ara area, members of Islamic Jihad, infiltrated into an IDF military recruit training base near Kibbutz Gal'ed, in the Menashe Heights, and killed three Israeli soldiers.

The attack

The Nahal Brigade Basic Training Recruits spent a week in field training near Kibbutz Gal'ed in Ramot Menashe. The four killers entered the Basic Training Recruits encampment and killed three soldiers—squad leader Guy Friedman and two recruits—using knives, axes and a pitchfork which they were equipped with.

Aftermath

The killers were eventually caught by the Israeli security forces after intelligence led them to the house where the weapons were hidden. When they reached the house, they found a concrete wall which was not yet dry, arousing their suspicion. After digging up the concrete they found the murder weapons - the pitchfork, knives and axes which were used by the militants to kill the soldiers. After examining the weapons, an investigation led the Israeli security forces to the killers themselves.

The killers, recruited by the Islamic Jihad militant organization, were convicted and sentenced to three consecutive terms of life imprisonment.

See also

• Night of the Gliders

External links

• IDF History in 1992 @ dover.idf.il
• Arabs attack army camp, killing 3 Israeli soldiers - The Sun, February 16, 1992
• Infiltrators Kill Three Soldiers in Israeli Camp - Los Angeles Times, February 16, 1992
• 3 Israelis killed in army camp - Chicago Tribune, February 16, 1992