Aviel Ron

Mar 31, 2002 - Aviel Ron, 54, of Haifa was one of 15 people killed in a suicide bombing in Haifa, in the Matza restaurant of the gas station near the Grand Canyon shopping mall.

Just after 2:30 PM on Sunday afternoon, during the Passover holiday, the terrorist entered the popular Matza restaurant in the Neve Sha'anan district near the Grand Canyon mall. The explosion tore the roof off the one-story building, and blew out the windows, instantly killing 14 people, and leaving horrific scenes of people on fire, and people with lost limbs. Over 40 people were injured.

After taking his daughter Anat shopping for clothes, Aviel Ron was eating lunch with his wife Carmit and their two children at the Matza restaurant. Only Carmit survived the blast, lightly wounded in the leg.

Aviel Ron was a colonel in the reserves, in the Artillery Corps, and was one of the planners of the Merkava 3 tank. He was the director-general of cartography for the Defense Ministry. He loved exercising and particularly enjoyed long bicycle trips. Lately he had opted to stay within the Carmel area for security reasons. One friend said Aviel Ron carried a gun, "but you see even the gun didn't help him save his family."

Their housekeeper, Etti Eita, said, "You're talking about wonderful people and a happy family."

Aviel Ron was buried in Haifa alongside his daughter Anat (21) and his son Ofer (18). He is survived by his wife, and his elderly mother Yael.