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‘Everything went dark’: A survivor’s visceral account of the 2003 Tel Aviv beach bombing

From Jerusalem Post · (just now) English Critical tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Yuval Tsemach recounts the moments before and during a suicide bombing at Mike's Place in Tel Aviv on April 30, 2003.
  • He describes the sudden darkness and shock following a loud explosion while he was listening to music and inquiring about a job.
  • The attack, claimed jointly by Hamas and Fatah's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, killed three people and wounded over 50 others.

The Jerusalem Post shares a harrowing first-hand account from Yuval Tsemach, a survivor of the 2003 Tel Aviv beach bombing at Mike's Place. Tsemach vividly describes the ordinary moments before the devastating attack, recalling his search for work as a bartender and his enjoyment of live music at the popular bar.

There was wonderful music, and then something happened. Something that you can explain can't be explained to someone who hasn't experienced it. And the closest way to compare this is to… There are times when the screen becomes black, and there is silence, and you are in shock… There was a blow that I heard behind my back. It was loud, and everything went dark.

— Yuval TsemachDescribing the moment of the explosion.

His narrative powerfully conveys the abruptness and terror of the event. "There was wonderful music, and then something happened," he recounts, describing a blow behind him, a loud noise, and then "everything went dark." He likens the immediate aftermath to a movie screen going black, emphasizing the disorientation and shock. Tsemach's immediate, instinctual question, "Ma-ze? Ze pigua?" (What is this? A terrorist attack?), underscores the sudden intrusion of violence into a peaceful setting.

It was loud, and everything went dark. This is first, because when you come from light to darkness, you become blind for the [first] few seconds, and it's a bit of a shock. If you are not expecting to experience this situation…. When you're listening to music, it is the great opposite. And then I think [it took] a few seconds to understand where I am. Actually, I was talking to myself and saying, ‘Ma-ze? Ze pigua?’ (What is this? A terrorist attack?)

— Yuval TsemachRecounting his immediate sensory experience and confusion after the blast.

The article details the tragic outcome: the suicide bombing carried out by British national Asif Muhammad Hanif, which claimed the lives of Ran Baron, Dominique Caroline Hass, and Yanai Weiss, and injured more than 50 others. Tsemach's recollection of the second, duller boom and the flash of light as he tried to exit the building adds another layer of terror to his experience. This personal testimony provides a visceral reminder of the human cost of terrorism and the profound impact such events have on individuals and the nation.

I remember that it was dark. And I think I saw people lying on the floor. I didn't look at them, but I remember. This is the vision. And while I'm taking myself out [of the building], I heard another blast, which was lower, with a flash of light, with a blast sim

— Yuval TsemachDescribing the scene and hearing a second explosion while trying to escape.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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