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Samir KuntarLebanese Druze, member of the left-wing terrorist group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Date of Birth: 20.07.1962
Country:  Lebanon |
Content:
- Early Life and Militancy
- Raid on Nahariya
- Tragedy at the Haran Home
- Confrontation and Capture
- Controversial Trial
- Kuntar's Defense
Early Life and Militancy
Samir Kuntar, a Lebanese Druze, was born into an affluent family. At a young age of 13, he joined the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a left-wing terrorist group, out of sympathy for Palestinian refugees. Kuntar actively participated in PFLP training exercises, expressing enjoyment in handling Kalashnikov rifles. He dropped out of school at 14.
Raid on Nahariya
In 1979, at the age of 16, Kuntar and three fellow militants infiltrated Israel from Lebanon in a rubber boat. They landed near the town of Nahariya and immediately killed a 24-year-old policeman, Eliyahu Shachar. Subsequently, they broke into the apartment of the Haran family. Kuntar admitted in court to shooting 30 rounds inside the home.
Tragedy at the Haran Home
In the subsequent chaos, Kuntar and his accomplices seized Dani Haran and his four-year-old daughter, Einat. During a scuffle, Einat suffocated when her mother instinctively covered her mouth to prevent her from crying. Kuntar and his group retreated to the beach with their hostages.
Confrontation and Capture
A shootout ensued between the militants and Israeli police on the shore. Kuntar, realizing their escape route had been blocked, shot Dani Haran and threw his body into the sea in front of his daughter. He then fatally struck Einat's head with a rifle butt. One more Israeli policeman was killed in the gunfire, and two of Kuntar's accomplices were taken out. Kuntar and Ahmed Abbarras were arrested.
Controversial Trial
The trial was conducted in secret, and its proceedings, including Kuntar's testimony, were released only 30 years later, after his release from prison. The trial remains shrouded in partial secrecy, with certain pathology details and one witness's testimony still classified.
Kuntar's Defense
Kuntar denied the murder charges, claiming that Dani Haran was killed in the crossfire and he lost consciousness during the struggle. He alleged that Einat was accidentally killed while being used as a human shield.
