Haim Ben-Ezra

Oct 4, 2001 - Haim Ben-Ezra, 76, of Givat Hamoreh, was killed when a Palestinian terrorist, dressed as an Israeli paratrooper, opened fire on Israeli civilians waiting at the central bus station in Afula.

The terrorist, dressed in IDF military fatigues, opened fire at a crowded bus terminal in Afula at 2:00 P.M., killing three Israelis and wounding 13 others. He entered shops with an M-16 rifle and sprayed them with long bursts of automatic gunfire.

Haim Ben-Ezra was a staunch Zionist who immigrated to Israel from Morroco in 1971 with his wife and five children. He lived in Givat Hamoreh, in Afula. He was a former Tnuva employee.

"We came to Israel out of faith and love of Torah. My father was a man of Torah," said his son, Ami. "What a shame that a man should end his life in such a tragic way as this."

"He was on his way to buy groceries for the holidays", said a neighbor. "All of Afula knew him as a modest man who took care of his family. His wife is very sick, as are two of his sons, and he does everything to help them. Who is going to help them now?"

Haim Ben-Ezra was laid to rest in Afula.