Meron Junction Bus 361 attack

{{Short description|Hamas suicide bombing in 2002}}

{{pp|small=yes}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}{{Infobox terrorist attack

| title = Meron Junction Bus 361 attack

| partof = the Second Intifada militancy campaign

| map = {{Location map|Israel northeast|caption=|float=center}}

|map_caption=The attack site

| location = Meron Junction, Israel

| native_name = הפיגוע בקו 361 בצומת מירון

| native_name_lang = he

| coordinates = {{coord|32|59|18|N|35|26|37|E|display=inline,title}}

| target =

| date = {{start date and age|2002|08|04}}

| time = {{Circa}} 8:45 am

| time-begin =

| time-end =

| timezone = UTC+2

| type = Suicide bombing

| weapon = Suicide vest

| fatalities = 6 Israeli civilians and 3 soldiers (+1 bomber)

| injuries = 38

| perps =

| perpetrator = Hamas claimed responsibility

| numpart = 1

}}

On August 4, 2002, a Palestinian suicide bomber from the militant group Hamas conducted a suicide bombing aboard an Egged bus at the Meron junction in northern Israel near Safed. In addition to the bomber, six Israeli civilians, and three Israeli soldiers were killed. Thirty-eight people were injured.{{cite news |title=Latest terror attacks kill 12 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/08/04/mideast/ |access-date=22 September 2023 |work=CNN |date=2002-08-04}}

Hamas subsequently publicly claimed responsibility for the attack, claiming it was in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike against a Hamas commander and to express displeasure with a UN-sponsored investigation into the Israeli incursion into the Jenin refugee camp that April.

Saeb Erakat condemned the attack, and Palestinian minister Nabil Shaath claimed that Palestinians were continuing to try to halt attacks on Israel, despite the Israeli actions. The bus attack occurred a week after the Hebrew University bombing, in which a Palestinian attacker affiliated with Hamas killed 9 people.

On 27 August, Israeli authorities arrested 7 Arab-Israelis, all members of the same family, who allegedly assisted the bomber. According to police, the suspects helped store explosives in a nursery school, dressed the bomber as a tourist, and scouted the target.{{cite news |title=7 Israeli Arabs Arrested in Bus Bombing |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-27-fg-mideast27-story.html |access-date=22 September 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2002-08-27}}

In 2019, Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett signed an order enabling Israel to seize "pay-for-slay" payments from the Palestinian Authority to Arab Israelis convicted on terrorism charges. This order included two prisoners who Israeli claimed assisted the Meron Junction bomber.{{cite news |last1=Oster |first1=Marcy |title=Israel will seize 'pay for slay' salaries paid to Arab-Israeli prisoners |url=https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/israel-will-seize-pay-for-slay-salaries-paid-to-arab-israeli-prisoners |access-date=22 September 2023 |work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=2019-12-26}}