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Baruch Kappel Goldstein (December 9 or December 12, 1956–February 25, 1994, ) was an American-Israeli settler who perpetrated the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre in Hebron, West Bank, killing 29 attendants of a mosque and wounding 150 in a shooting attack.
Biography Goldstein was born in Brooklyn, New York to an Orthodox Jewish family. He attended the Yeshivah of Flatbush religious day school, Yeshiva University and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He belonged to the Jewish Defense League (JDL), a militant Jewish organization founded by Rabbi Meir Kahane. After emigrating to Israel, he served as a physician in the Israeli Defense Force, first as a conscript, then in the reserve forces. Goldstein's Certificate of Discharge, dated 30 December 1985 (which is given to every Israeli soldier after their compulsory military service) described him as "devoted, efficient, diligent, enterprising, thorough, disciplined and expert in his profession." Following the end of his active duty, Goldstein worked as a physician and lived in the Kiryat Arba settlement near Hebron, where he served as an emergency doctor. In the autumn of 1993, in recognition of his medical work, Goldstein received two citations from the Israeli Army". In January 1994, Major Dr. Yitzchak Ashkenazi, the Local Medical Officer of the district of Judea and Samaria recommended Goldstein for promotion to the rank of Major in the Israeli Army". Cave of the Patriarchs massacre On February 25, 1994, that year's Purim day, Goldstein entered a room in the Cave of the Patriarchs serving as a mosque, wearing "his army uniform with the insignia of rank, creating the image of a reserve officer on active duty" (Shamgar report). He then opened fire, killing 29 and wounding 150. Mosque guard Mohammad Suleiman Abu Saleh said he thought that Goldstein was trying to kill as many people as possible and described how there were bodies and blood everywhere. After being subdued with a fire extinguisher and disarmed, Goldstein was beaten to death. His official death certificate issued by the Ministry of the Interior of the State of Israel lists the cause of his death as "murder". Although the Israeli authorities know (via an Arab source who was present that morning) the names of those who killed Goldstein, they were never brought to trial although his wife requested charging them. Rioting immediately followed the shooting, leading in the following week to the deaths of 25 Palestinians and five Israelis. Political Ramifications of the Massacre Following the massacre, Israeli imposed curfews on the 20,000 Palestinians in the Hebron market area * and closed the mosque. The Israeli government and governments worldwide condemned the massacre. Treatment of non-Jews Contradictory evidence exists as to whether he refused to treat non-Jews in his service as a civilian physician or while serving in the Israeli Army. Israeli press-reports state that he refused to treat non-Jews, even those serving in the IDF. When Goldstein was threatened with court-martial he declared: "I am not willing to treat any non-Jew. I recognize as legitimate only two religious authorities: Maimonides and Kahane".. The Shamgar Commission, which later investigated Goldstein's role in the Cave of the Patriachs massacre, noted that Goldstein had treated an Arab militant in October 1990. Also, Moshe Givati, the former Brigade Commander in Hebron," Colonel Dr. Arie Eldad, Medical Officer of the Central Command," Major Nachman Ash, Medical Officer of the Judea and Samaria Division," and Moti Unger, the Night Security Officer of the Kiryat Arba Local Council" all testified that to their knowledge Goldstein had treated Jew and Arab alike. Evidence was also given by Superintendent Uri Weisskop, who was acting Commander of the Hebron Police Station, that he had not come across any case of Goldstein refusing to give medical aid to a wounded Arab". Gravesite and commemoration Goldstein is buried at the Meir Kahane Memorial Park in Kiryat Arba, a Jewish settlement next to Hebron. The park is named in memory of Rabbi Meir Kahane, Goldstein's spiritual mentor. The Goldstein family had requested that he be buried in the ancient Jewish Cemetery of the Martyrs in Hebron, but this request was denied. Goldstein's tombstone reads: Here lies the saint, Dr. Baruch Kappel Goldstein, blessed be the memory of the righteous and holy man, may the Lord avenge his blood, who devoted his soul to the Jews, Jewish religion and Jewish land. His hands are innocent and his heart is pure. He was killed as a martyr of God on the 14th of Adar, Purim, in the year 5754 (1994). Over the years, the site became a pilgrimage site for those with right-wing political leanings. The Local Religious Council of Kiryat Arba declared the gravesite a memorial and a properly constituted cemetery. Sidewalks, spotlights, streetlights, a cupboard with prayer books and pedestals with candles were installed by supporters. Many of these were paid for by Dov Dribben. Eventually, the site had the appearance of a small shrine. Incensed by the homage being paid to Goldstein, the government sought to have the mini-shrine declared illegal. A bill was passed by the Knesset in 1998 forbidding the erection of monuments to people whom it considered terrorists. This led to a long battle in the High Court of Israel, which the government ultimately won. In 2000, several hundred police were dispatched to dismantle the shrine. After a battle with Goldstein-supporters that lasted several hours, resulting in many arrests, the appurtenances around the grave were dismantled. At the time, it was also declared that a discussion of the inscription on his tombstone was pending; however, no revisions have yet been made (as of 2006). A support group, the Friends of Baruch Goldstein, hold celebrations and yearly feasts in commemoration near the gravesite. See also | ||||||||
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