Deaths 3 Israeli soldiers Date 14 February 1992 | Non-fatal injuries 1 Israeli soldier Weapons Knife, Axe | |
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Location IDF military recruit training base near Kibbutz Gal'ed, Israel 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 the Islamic movement, infiltrated into an IDF military recruit training base near Kibbutz Gal'ed, in the Menashe Heights, and killed three Israeli soldiers.
Contents
The attack
The Nahal Brigade Basic Training Recruits spent a week in field training near Kibbutz Gal'ed in Ramot Menashe. The 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.