 20 years ago today One of the worst attacks that the state of Israel has known happened here the suicide bombing of the Maxim restaurant in Haifa on Saturday October 4th 2003 in the midst of the second Intifada The Maxim restaurant was as crowded as ever at 2 10 p.m A Palestinian suicide bomber entered the restaurant with an explosive build on her body sat in the restaurant 8 and then blew herself up A serious attack with devastating consequences 21 murdered dozens injured The Maxim restaurant was a symbol of partnership The restaurant is jointly owned by Jews and Arabs the workers in the restaurant and the guests were Jews and Arabs Among the victims of the attack were both Tragically murdered together By a Palestinian terrorist Also among the victims were three generations of not one but two Israeli families The Almogh family and the Zaravi family Personally, this attack changed my life because that Maxim restaurant was my family's to-go restaurant Only two days before that attack. My parents were sitting there If they had sat there on the day of the attack, I would have become an orphan I was 18 years old a month and a half before my military enlistment date This attack in which Jews and Arabs were murdered together Made me realize that my decision to volunteer for the IDF as a fighter and defend the country was the right thing to do The result of this attack were painful and difficult But terrorism did not win The Maxim restaurant was restored and reopened only three months later to this day It continues to be a symbol of Jewish Arab partnership for 60 years And is also an example of how Palestinian terrorism harms Jews and Arabs in Israel But let me be clear We will not be defeated by terror