The horrific events of September 11th, 2001, are etched into the memories of millions globally. While the world watched in disbelief at the collapse of the World Trade Center towers, one New Jersey resident witnessed something unusual that led to an investigation involving five young Israeli men and their potential connection to Israeli intelligence.
Maria, a homemaker residing in New Jersey who preferred to keep her last name private, had a clear view of the World Trade Center from her apartment. Shortly after the first plane struck the North Tower, a neighbor alerted her to the unfolding tragedy. Grabbing her binoculars, Maria began observing the devastation in lower Manhattan. Amidst the chaos and destruction, a peculiar scene caught her attention.
Maria recounted seeing three young men positioned on the roof of a white van in her apartment building's parking lot. According to Maria, “They seemed to be taking a movie.” These men were filming or photographing themselves with the burning World Trade Center as a backdrop. It was their expressions that struck Maria as deeply unsettling. “They were like happy, you know … They didn't look shocked to me. I thought it was very strange,” she stated.
Her suspicion grew to the point where she noted down the van's license plate number and contacted the police. Soon after, the FBI became involved, and a statewide alert was issued for the van. The license plate was traced back to Urban Moving Systems. Later that afternoon, around 4 p.m. on September 11th, the van was located on a service road near Giants Stadium off Route 3 in New Jersey. A police officer initiated a stop, and inside the vehicle were five men, aged between 22 and 27. The men were ordered out of the van at gunpoint and subsequently handcuffed.
The officers who apprehended the men reported several details that heightened their suspicion. One of the passengers had $4,700 in cash concealed in his sock. Another was carrying two foreign passports. A box cutter was also discovered in the van. However, the most surprising revelation for the officers was that the five men identified themselves as Israeli citizens.
‘We Are Not Your Problem’
The police report details a statement made by one of the passengers, indicating they had been on the West Side Highway in Manhattan “during the incident,” referring to the World Trade Center attack. Sivan Kurzberg, the van's driver, reportedly told the officers, “We are Israeli. We are not your problem. Your problems are our problems. The Palestinians are the problem.” The other individuals in the van were identified as Paul Kurzberg, Yaron Shmuel, Oded Ellner, and Omer Marmari.
This incident involving the so-called “dancing Israelis” remains a controversial footnote to the events of 9/11, raising questions about the men’s motives and their unusual reactions to the unfolding tragedy.
