Amos Sa-ada

Nov 6, 2002 - Amos Sa'ada, 52, of Rafiah Yam in the Gaza Strip, was one of two Israelis shot to death by a Palestinian terrorist posing as a worker. The terrorist was killed by a security officer.

The attack occurred in the morning, just after a group of Palestinian workers arrived at hothouses near Pe'at Sadeh. Despite a security alert that reportedly resulted in the workers being checked -- and cleared -- twice, the terrorist retrieved a pistol that apparently had been hidden for him and shot to death Assaf Tzfira in one of the hothouses.

The gunman, who had apparently worked for some time at the farm, then ran into a textile factory, where he shot and killed Sa'ada. As the terrorist tried to escape, he threatened Rafiah Yam security officer Kobi Hadad with a grenade and was shot dead. One person was lightly wounded in the attack.

Amos Sa'ada was among the founders of Rafiah Yam in 1983, later representing the settlement on the Gush Katif Regional Council. He had served in the Armored Corps for 22 years until his retirement from service in 1992. After engaging for a time in agriculture, growing hothouse tomatoes, he decided to open a textile plant. Sa'ada survived an earlier attack, in May 2001, when a bomb exploded in his car outside the factory.

Amos Sa'ada was buried in the Ashkelon Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Esther, their six children - David, Ayelet, Hen, Julie, Aviran and Sharon - and two grandchildren.