October 12, 2000: Two non-combatant Israeli reservists (serving as drivers), Vadim Nurzhitz and Yossi Avrahami, mistakenly passed an Israeli checkpoint and entered Ramallah. Reaching a Palestinian Authority roadblock, where previously Israeli soldiers were turned back, the reservists were detained by PA policeman and taken to the local police station. Hearing rumors that IDF soldiers were in the building, a crowd of more than 1,000 Palestinians gathered at the station, calling for the death of the Israelis. Soon after, Palestinian rioters stormed the building, beating and stabbing the soldiers to death. At this point, a Palestinian (later identified as Aziz Salha), appeared at the police station window, displaying his blood-stained hands to the crowd, which erupted into cheers. One of the soldier's bodies was then thrown out the window and stamped and beaten by the enraged mob. Soon after, the mob dragged the two mutilated bodies to Al-Manara Square in the city center as the crowd began an impromptu victory celebration.
Yossi Avrahami left a wife and 3 children and Vadim Nurzhitz, married just 5 days earlier, left a pregrant wife and a daughter from a previous marriage.
For 7 years the IDF hunted down each and every one of the murderers and brought them to trial.
IDF Officer Escapes Lynching by Palestian Mob
August 28, 2007: An IDF officer who accidentally strayed into Jenin on Monday and was confronted by an angry mob. The rapid response of the Palestinian security forces who succeeded in rescuing the officer, saved his life. The images of the attempted lynch conjure memories of the lynch of two IDF reservists in Ramallah in October 2000.
