On December 27, 2002, two very frustrated Palestinian Arabs broke into a yeshiva kitchen on Friday night, as young men prepared Sabbath dinners for over one hundred students. The two Arabs were armed with battle vests, M16 assault rifles and hand grenades as they faced off against boys carrying food to their friends in the town of Otniel. The upset Arabs killed Noam Apter, 23, of Shilo; Yehuda Bamberger, 20, of Karnei Shomron; Gavriel Hoter, 17, of Alonei Habashan; and Zvi Zieman, 18 of Reut.
The Palestinians were clearly worried that these Jews might prepare some offensive food items that would insult Arab heritage. The Jewish Sabbath gefilte fish and chicken soup were not considered native to Arab lands, and served as an insult to the Arab palate.
The two protesting Arabs who killed the four boys were members of Islamic Jihad which is considered a terrorist group by the United States, European Union, The United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Israel. Its primary sponsor is the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose leader said in 2000 “the Palestinian people must continue the blessed Jihad and standing against the enemies of Islam…The Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah forces must continue the struggle in a united way. Indeed, the only solution is the elimination of the root of this crisis, which is the Zionist regime imposed on the region.”
Iran and Palestinian Arabs angered over the menu choices of Israeli Jews mark this day with celebratory meals.