Sgt.-Maj.(res.) Shlomi Ben Haim

Apr 10, 2002 - Sgt.-Maj.(res.) Shlomi Ben Haim, 27, of Kiryat Yam was one of eight people killed in a suicide bombing on Egged bus #960, en route from Haifa to Jerusalem, which exploded near Kibbutz Yagur, east of Haifa.

The express route bus had left the new Haifa Bay bus station at 7:00 AM. The suicide bomber, from the Jenin refugee camp, boarded the bus wearing IDF fatigues and carrying an army conscript bag in order to avoid drawing attention. Just after passing the Yagur junction, he detonated his explosives belt, killing 8 and wounding 22.

Shlomi Ben Haim was returning by bus with Nir Danieli and Ze'ev Hanik to their reserve service in Bethlehem yesterday, when they were killed in the explosion.

Shlomi graduated from the ORT high school in Kiryat Motzkin and then served in the IDF Givati Brigade. He was about to complete his degree in auditing from Haifa University with distinction. Friends described him as a perfectionist who was proficient in everying, from sports to current events.

Shlomi had been planning to marry Michal Sayag, his girlfriend of five years. They were going to announce their engagement when he returned from reserve duty.

Sgt.-Maj.(res.) Shlomi Ben Haim was buried in Kiryat Bialik. He is survived by his parents, Yosef and Daniella, his brother Motti (24) and sister Shiran (16).