2001 Netanya bombing

On the morning of Sunday, March 4, 2001, shortly before 9:00 am, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at a busy intersection in the center of the business district of Netanya, Israel. The blast killed three civilians: Naftali Dean, 85, of Tel Mond; his niece Shlomit Ziv, 58, of Netanya; and Yevgenya Malchin, 70, of Netanya. More than 60 other people were injured in the attack.

The Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas claimed responsibility for the bombing shortly afterward. According to Hamas's statement, the attack was carried out by a 23-year-old Palestinian resident of the West Bank named Ahmed Alyan.

The bombing drew swift reactions from Israeli, Palestinian, and international figures. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon described the attack as "very serious" and said it demonstrated that the Palestinian Authority was "not taking the necessary steps." Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual leader of Hamas, stated that the group would continue attacks against Israel until what he termed the "Israeli occupation" was eradicated, and said Israelis would "pay a price in accordance with the price paid by the Palestinian people."

Internationally, French officials condemned the attack while simultaneously urging Israel to end its blockade of the Palestinian territories. The administration of United States President George W. Bush condemned the bombing and called on Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat to arrest those responsible.

The bombing occurred amid a period of intensified violence between Israelis and Palestinians during the Second Intifada.