The Island of Peace massacre was a mass murder incident at the Island of Peace, a joint Israeli-Jordanian park on the border between Israel and Jordan. The shooting attack occurred on March 13, 1997 when Jordanian Army Corporal Ahmed Daqamseh opened fire on a group of Israeli schoolgirls, killing seven. King Hussein's visit to Israel a few days later to pay respects to the grieving families deeply moved the Israeli public.
The same year, Daqamseh was sentenced to life in prison (25 years in Jordan). In February 2011, Hussein Mjali, Jordan's newly appointed justice minister, caused a diplomatic stir when he called for the early release of Daqamseh, who he portrayed as a Jordanian hero.
