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Eden Natan-Zada (; 9 July 1986 – 4 August 2005) was an Israeli deserter who opened fire in a bus in Shefa-Amr in northern Israel on 4 August 2005, killing four Arab citizens of Israel and wounding twelve others. He was restrained, disarmed and cuffed when he tried to reload to prepare for another round of shooting. Israeli Government Bears Responsibility for Shefa-Amr Massacre Kibbush.co.il 7 August 2005 After he was restrained and handcuffed, he was lynched by the crowd, as recorded on video. Last moments of Natan-Zada Maariv, 8 August 2005 It has been inferred that the shooting was a personal protest against the Israeli government's disengagement plan, since an orange ribbon was found attached to Natan-Zada's pocket (orange was an emblem color of anti-disengagement activism).
No group had taken credit for the terror attack and one official in the settler movement denounced it. Natan-Zada was desertion and in hiding from the IDF at the time of the shooting. He had recently Baal teshuva after getting involved with far-right activists.
In a letter left behind after his desertion, Natan-Zada expressed dismay to his parents over the disengagement plan, saying "Just as I couldn't carry out an order that desecrates the Shabbat, I cannot be part of an organization that expels Jews." 'I won't expel Jews' , 5 August 2005 He added the anti-pullout slogan "Jews don't expel Jews" to his letter, and concluded the message with the words: "I will consider how I will continue to serve."
His mother claims that prior to the shooting she alerted the IDF and other security services that her son was still in possession of his military-issued weapon. "We told everyone he's AWOL, that he could do something with his gun. We begged them to take away his gun. He also asked them to take his gun. The army destroyed my child. The army destroyed my life." According to The New Republic, an army psychiatrist warned that he wasn't fit for weapons or uniform, but his professional judgment was awaiting approval by a panel of medical experts. A "former chief of staff of the IDF" had reportedly "speculated that the killer's parents might have a chance to win damages in court for neglect by the army of the welfare of their son." Israel responds to Israeli terrorism The New Republic, 10 July 2005
The four victims were Hazar Turki and Dina Turki, two sisters in their early twenties, and two men, Michel Bahus (the driver) and Nader Hayek; all were Arab citizens of Israel. The wounded were rushed to Rambam Hospital in Haifa. In the days after the attack, 40,000 people attended a funeral service in honor of the victims in the town. The two sisters were buried in an Islamic cemetery, and the two men in the local Christian cemetery.
While the Israeli government and US Department of State both consider groups based on Kahanism to be terrorist organizations, Kahanist advocates insist their ideology only advocates the forced removal of Arabs from the Land of Israel, not murder.
The High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel called on the government to refrain from investigating the death of Eden Natan-Zada. Arab Knesset member Mohammad Barakeh, a Shefa-'Amr resident himself, warned that protests could erupt if police probe Zada's lynching: "Normally when someone stops a terrorist from continuing to kill he is considered a hero, but in this case it is the heroes who are sitting on the defense stand". However, Shefa-'Amr's security officer, Jamal Aliam, told Army Radio that Zada had been attacked by dozens of people after he had been handcuffed and subdued by police.
Eventually, on 13 June 2006, five suspects in the lynching were arrested, one who was already serving a prison sentence was brought in for questioning, and a seventh suspect turned himself in after learning he was wanted by police. The police said: "We're responsible for maintaining the law, and you can't take the law into your own hands even when it concerns a terrorist who murdered innocent people, even though he made a heinous terrorist act". Extended detention for the suspects in the murder of Eden Natan-Zada Walla, 13 June 2006 (in Hebrew) Police detail seven suspects in Zada lynching Yedioth Ahronoth, 13 June 2006 (in Hebrew) Two suspects were subsequently released. There was general support for their arrest and even left-wing activist Yossi Beilin said: "Israel can't put up with a lynch made on a handcuffed person even if his actions are heinous and unforgivable. It's a combined interest of both Jews and Arabs that Israel won't close its eyes to such behaviour". The Arab Knesset members however demanded their release and called their arrest a crime. Orlev: It is forbidden to accept surrender to the political terror of Arab MKs HaTzofe (in Hebrew)
On 7 June 2009, twelve Arab citizens were indicted over the lynching in the Haifa District Court. Seven were charged with attempted murder. 12 charged in Shfaram shooter lynching Jerusalem Post, 7 June 2009 In March 2010, Maher Talhami, their defense lawyer, stated that recently discovered aerial footage of the bus, recorded by an Israeli drone before, during and after the attack took place indicates that Israeli defense officials were aware of Natan-Zada's intentions. 'Government knew of Jewish terrorist's plan to open fire on Shfaram bus' , Haaretz, 16 March 2010.
In July 2013, the seven defendants charged with attempted murder were acquitted of that charge, but four were convicted of attempted manslaughter and two were convicted of aggravated battery, while one was exonerated entirely. The sentencing took place on 28 November 2013. Three were sentenced to two years in prison, while one was sentenced to 20 months, one to 18 months, and one to 11 months. Defendants in Natan Zada lynching get 2 years in prison – Ynetnews
An initial agreement between IDF officials and the Natan-Zada family would have allowed burial in a military cemetery, but with no military honors such as a 21-gun salute or placement of the Israeli flag upon his coffin. However, Meir Nitzan, the mayor of Rishon LeZion, intervened before the funeral. The morgue which housed Natan-Zada's body, Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, refused to release the body to friends and fellow Kahane activists to bury, resulting in a bitter protest.
Residents of Kfar Tapuach were divided on the issue. Kfar Tapuach resident Moshe Meirsdorf said Natan-Zada's connection to the community "has been destructive for us. We totally reject everything he did." Meirsdorf claimed that Natan-Zada and other extremist youth were not official community members, despite the fact that Natan-Zada had legally updated his address to Kfar Tapuach. "He was never accepted by the absorption committee," said Meirsdorf, whose wife is a member of the committee. Others supported Natan-Zada, including four teenagers from Tapuach who were arrested following the incident. Most locals, however, voiced opinions in line with Tapuach leader David Haivri, who expressed pain over the loss of Natan-Zada and emphasized the tragedy of his death.
Some Israeli media outlets initially suggested that Natan-Zada be buried in the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba, where Baruch Goldstein, who committed the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre 11 years earlier, is buried. Natan-Zada's body resided for two days in the Abu-Kabir morgue, pending an appeal to Prime Minister Sharon by his parents. On 7 August 2005, the Prime Minister's Bureau overruled Meir Nitzan's ban against burial in Rishon LeZion, and decreed that Zada should be buried in the civilian cemetery there. Killer to be buried Sunday Ynetnews, 8 July 2005 He was buried in the Gordon neighborhood. Because of the delays, Natan-Zada was buried two days after Jewish law allows. Three of the hundreds of mourners at the burial were arrested with administrative arrest orders, including "New Kach" leader Efraim Hershkovits, American citizen Saadia Herskof, and former Kach activist Tiran Pollack's son Gilad.
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