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On 20 June 2003 Howard (Zvi; Tzvi) Goldstein, age 47, his wife Michal, and Goldstein's parents, Lorraine, 73, and Eugene, 73, Goldstein drove on [[Highway 60 (Israel)|Route 60]] en route to a party in [[Jerusalem]] celebrating the wedding of Michal and Zvi Goldstein's son, David, which had taken place on the previous day. Two members of a [[Hamas]] cell waiting in ambush on the roadside opened fire with [[AK-47]]s, hitting all four occupants of the car. Eugene Goldstein took the steering wheel and to help his injured son drive the car away from the gunmen and drove eight miles for medical help before the car flipped over.<ref name=Dan>{{cite news|last1=Dan|first1=Uri|title=N.Y. Hero''s Sacrifice: Dying, He Drives Kin from Thugs|url=https://nypost.com/2003/06/21/n-y-heros-sacrifice-dying-he-drives-kin-from-thugs/|access-date=15 August 2015|publisher=New York Post|date=21 June 2003}}</ref><ref name=Clifford/><ref name=ShotKilled>{{cite news|title=Israeli-American Motorist Shot and Killed in West Bank|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/2003/06/20/israeli-american-motorist-shot-and-killed-in-west-bank.html|access-date=16 August 2015|agency=AP|publisher=Fox News|date=20 June 2003}}</ref><ref name=Funeral/><ref name=WBCNewsSuing/>

Zvi Goldstein, a technical writer who had immigrated from the U.S. to Israel, died of his injuries.<ref name=Fisher>{{cite news|last1=Fisher|first1=Ian|title=In Show of Defiance, Hamas Gunmen Kill Israeli Settler|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/21/world/in-show-of-defiance-hamas-gunmen-kill-israeli-settler.html|access-date=4 September 2015|work=The New York Times|date=21 June 2003}}</ref> Michal Goldstein survived. Lorraine Goldstein survived, although a series of operations to repair her damaged jaw caused by a bullet left her with little motion in her mouth. Eugene Goldstein survived with "a bullet lodged near his heart from (the) ambush."<ref name=Preston>{{cite news|last1=Preston|first1=Julia|title=Hurt by Hamas, Americans Sue Banks in U.S.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/15/nyregion/15hamas.html?pagewanted=all|access-date=16 August 2015|work=The New York Times|date=15 April 2006}}</ref> The survivors were taken to [[Hadassah Medical Center]].<ref name=HarelHamas/>

==Hamas==

[[Hamas]] immediately claimed responsibility for the shooting attack.<ref name=Funeral>{{cite news|last1=Dan|first1=Uri|title=Family Gathers for Brooklyn-Born Israeli's Funeral|url=https://nypost.com/2003/06/22/hero-laid-to-rest-family-gathers-for-bklyn-born-israelis-funeral/|access-date=16 August 2015|publisher=New York Post|date=22 June 2003}}</ref><ref name=HarelHamas>{{cite news|last1=Harel|first1=Amos|title=Man Killed, 3 Hurt in West Bank Shooting |url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/man-killed-3-hurt-in-west-bank-shooting-1.91948|access-date=4 September 2015|publisher=[[Haaretz]]|date=22 June 2003}}</ref> This claim, in 2003, was described by the ''[[Haaretz]]'' newspaper as "surprising," since, according to writer [[Amos Harel]], before the attack, the "militant Islamic organization (Hamas) has almost completely avoided carrying out shootings in the West Bank, focusing instead on using suicide bombers, primarily within the Green Line.<ref name=HarelHamas/>

On 21 June, the [[Israel Defense Forces]] killed Abdullah Qawasmeh, who was believed to be the senior Hamas commander in the Hebron area.<ref name=HarelKillsTerrorist>{{cite news|last1=Harel|first1=Amos|title=Top Hamas Man Killed in Hebron Raid|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/top-hamas-man-killed-in-hebron-raid-1.91992|access-date=4 September 2015|publisher=Haaretz|date=22 June 2003}}</ref><ref name=HarelQawasmehKilling>{{cite news|last1=Harel|first1=Amos|title=PM: Qawasmeh Killing Was Essential|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/pm-qawasmeh-killing-was-essential-1.92078|access-date=4 September 2015|publisher=Haaretz|date=23 June 2003}}</ref><ref name=KillsHamasFugitive>{{cite news|title=Israel kills Hamas fugitive|url=http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2003/me_israel_06_23.html|access-date=4 September 2015|publisher=World Tribune|date=22 June 2003}}</ref><ref name=HamasDefiesPowell>{{cite news|title=Hamas defies Powell plea|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/991698/Hamas-defies-Powell-plea.html?pg=all|access-date=4 September 2015|agency=Knight Ridder|publisher=[[Deseret News]]|date=21 June 2003}}</ref>

==Immediate impact==

The attack was also described as disruptive to the [[Road map for peace]], an initiative involving United States Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]], who was in Jerusalem at the time of the ambush.<ref name=MatzaPeaceProcess>{{cite news|last1=Matza|first1=Michael|title=As Powell seeks peace, Hamas kills man A sniper shot a motorist, and the group Powell called "an enemy of peace" claimed the act.|url=http://articles.philly.com/2003-06-21/news/25447889_1_zvi-goldstein-israeli-soldiers-palestinian-controlled|access-date=4 September 2015|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date=21 June 2003}}</ref><ref name=PowellPresses>{{cite news|title=Powell urges Israelis, Palestinians to move forward|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/06/20/mideast/|access-date=4 September 2015|publisher=CNN|date=20 June 2003}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=September 2015}}<ref name=Segal>{{cite news|last1=Segal|first1=Naomi|title=Violence Flares As U.S. Sends Envoys|url=http://www.jta.org/2003/06/23/archive/whats-old-is-new-again-violence-flares-as-u-s-sends-envoys-by-naomi-segal|access-date=4 September 2015|publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|date=23 June 2003}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=September 2015}} According to Ian Fisher of ''[[The New York Times]]'', the attack was interpreted "as a message to Mr. Powell, the Israelis and its Palestinian supporters that Hamas remains strong and very much active."<ref name=Fisher/>

==Lawsuit==
In 2004 Lorraine and Eugene Goldstein, who live in [[Plainview, New York]], sued the [[Arab Bank]] for laundering money used to fund Hamas terror attacks targeting Israelis, including the attack in which his son, Howard, was killed.<ref name=Marzulli>{{cite news|last1=Marzulli|first1=John|title=Arab Bank Funneled Terror Funds - Suit|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/arab-bank-funneled-terror-funds-suit-article-1.622106|access-date=16 August 2015|work=New York Daily News|date=7 July 2004}}</ref>

In 2006, the Goldsteins joined a group of 50 American victims of terrorism (survivors or relatives of people murdered by terrorists), suing three large international banks, [[Crédit Lyonnais]], Arab Bank, and [[NatWest]], alleging that all three banks were involved in channeling money to [[Hamas]], which has been listed by the government of the [[United States]] as a terrorist organization since 1997.<ref name=Preston/> The [[USA Act and the Financial Anti-Terrorism Act|Anti-Terrorism Act]] enables American victims of acts of terrorism that take place outside the United States can sue for damages in federal courts.<ref name=Clifford>{{cite news|last1=Clifford|first1=Stephanie|title=Arab Bank Reaches Settlement in Suit Accusing It of Financing Terrorism|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/15/nyregion/arab-bank-reaches-settlement-in-suit-accusing-it-of-financing-terrorism.html?_r=0|access-date=16 August 2015|work=The New York Times|date=14 August 2015}}</ref><ref name=Riley>{{cite news|last1=Riley|first1=John|title=Jury finds Arab Bank liable in terror attacks in Israel and Palestinian territories|url=http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/jury-finds-arab-bank-liable-in-terror-attacks-in-israel-and-palestinian-territories-1.9377828|access-date=16 August 2015|publisher=Newsday|date=22 September 2014}}</ref><ref name=WBCNewsSuing>{{cite news|title=Suing to stop terror funding|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/suing-to-stop-terror-funding/|access-date=31 August 2015|work=CBS News|date=21 April 2013}}</ref>

In August 2015, [[Arab Bank]] agreed to a confidential settlement with hundreds of American victims of terrorism, including the Goldsteins.<ref name=Clifford/><ref name=Fisher2>{{cite news|last1=Fisher|first1=Daniel|title=Jury Will Put A Price On Terrorism -- And Stick A Bank With The Bill|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2015/08/13/jury-will-put-a-price-on-terrorism-and-stick-a-bank-with-the-bill/2/|access-date=13 August 2015|work=Forbes|date=13 August 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Terrorist attacks against Israelis in the 2000s}}
{{Palestinian militancy attacks in the 2000s}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Route 60 Hamas ambush}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=Murder in 2003, Terrorist incidents in Israel in 2003, Terrorist attacks attributed to Palestinian militant groups, Palestinian terrorism, June 2003 events in Asia, Hamas attacks
|description=
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[[Category:Murder in 2003]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Israel in 2003]]
[[Category:Terrorist attacks attributed to Palestinian militant groups]]
[[Category:Palestinian terrorism]]
[[Category:June 2003 events in Asia]]
[[Category:Hamas attacks]]

2003 Route 60 Hamas ambush - Revision history

MetaBOT at 16:30, 8 July 2023