Yaniv Obayed

June 11, 2003 - Yaniv Obayed, 22, of Herzliya was one of 17 people killed in a suicide bombing on bus No. 14A on Jaffa Road in the center of Jerusalem.

At around 17:30, the bomber, dressed as an ultra-Orthodox Jew, boarded Egged bus No. 14A at the Mahane Yehuda market, and a short while later, as the bus drove down Jaffa Road near the Davidka Square, detonated his bomb, wrecking the bus and killing 16 of its passengers. Over 100 people were wounded, including dozens of passersby. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.

Yaniv Obayed was born and raised in Herzliya. Suffering from impaired vision, he completed his high school studies at the School for the Blind in Jerusalem, where he first met Bat-El Ohana. He very much wanted to serve in the army, but was prevented by his poor vision. Instead, he found work as a security guard in the Herzliya shopping area, and in one instance even succeeded in apprehending Palestinian car thieves.

Yaniv and Bat-El had recently decided to be married. They were seated together on the bus, on the way to a job interview for Yaniv as a security guard. Both were killed.

Yaniv Obayed was buried in Herzliya. He is survived by his parents, an older brother and younger sister.