Coastal Road massacre: At least 37 are killed and more than 70 are wounded when Fatah hijack an Israeli bus, prompting Israel's Operation Litani.
On a somber day, March 11, 1978, the tranquil Coastal Highway of Israel became the scene of a horrific act, now infamously known as the *Coastal Road massacre*. Palestinian militants hijacked a civilian bus, leading to a brutal mass-murder of its passengers. This devastating attack claimed the lives of 38 Israeli civilians, including 13 children, and left 76 others wounded, marking one of the darkest chapters in the region's history.
The Attack Unfolds and Its Gruesome Toll
The incident began as a civilian bus, carrying innocent passengers, was seized by a group of Palestinian militants. What followed was a massacre that shocked the world, demonstrating a horrific disregard for human life. The 38 fatalities and 76 wounded victims underscored the indiscriminate violence of the assault, particularly heartbreaking given the significant number of children among the dead.
Masterminds, Motives, and a Fateful Misstep
The meticulously planned operation was orchestrated by the influential Palestinian militant leader, Abu Jihad, and executed by Fatah, a prominent Palestinian nationalist party he had co-founded in 1959. Initially, the militants harbored a far more audacious plan: to infiltrate the bustling city of Tel Aviv, seize a luxury hotel, and take tourists and foreign ambassadors hostage. Their ultimate goal was to leverage these high-profile captives for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli custody.
However, fate, or rather a critical navigational error, intervened. The attackers found themselves approximately 64 kilometers (40 miles) north of their intended target, rendering their original plan unfeasible. This forced detour compelled them to seek an alternative means of transportation to their destination, inadvertently leading them to the fateful bus on the Coastal Highway.
According to a Fatah commander involved in the planning, the timing of the attack was strategically calculated with dual objectives. Primarily, it aimed to derail the nascent Israeli–Egyptian peace talks then underway between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, a diplomatic effort crucial for regional stability. Secondary to this, the militants sought to inflict significant damage upon Israel's vital tourism sector, a cornerstone of its economy and international image.
Naming the Operation and Historical Context
Fatah itself dubbed the hijacking "Operation of the Martyr Kamal Adwan," honoring the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) chief of operations who had been killed during an Israeli commando raid in Lebanon in April 1973. This naming convention served to elevate the perpetrators' cause and memorialize a figure significant within their movement.
International media outlets were quick to condemn the atrocity. *Time* magazine, reflecting the global horror, characterized it as "the worst terrorist attack in Israel's history," a statement that powerfully conveyed the immense scale and impact of the tragedy on the collective consciousness.
Israel's Swift Retaliation: Operation Litani
In the immediate aftermath of the *Coastal Road massacre*, Israel responded decisively. Just three days later, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Litani, a large-scale military offensive targeting PLO bases and infrastructure in southern Lebanon. This retaliatory action underscored the volatile and often violent cycle of conflict that characterized the Israeli-Palestinian struggle, with each major incident frequently triggering a powerful counter-response.