Israeli forces Monday overnight notified four families of their intention to punitively demolish their houses in Silat al-Harithiya town, northwest of Jenin, according to WAFA correspondent.
He said that Israeli forces barged their way into the northern West Bank town, and measured the houses of Ahmed Muhammad Yassin Jaradat, the father of brothers Ghaith and Omar, as well as the family houses of three prisoners in preparation for their punitive demolition.
Ghaith and Omar Jaradat are accused of carrying out a shooting attack that killed a settler and injured two others near the formerly evacuated Homesh colonial settlement outpost in the northern West Bank the last week. The three prisoners, including the siblings’ uncle, are accused of being accomplices.
The planned demolition will render four families, comprising over 30 people, homeless.
During the ensuing confrontations, the soldiers opening fire towards dozens of local youths protesting the raid, injuring one by bullet shrapnel.
Israel resorts to punitively demolish the family homes of Palestinians as a mean of deterrence- accused of being involved in attacks against Israelis, a policy that Israel does not apply to Israeli settlers who were involved in fatal attacks against Palestinians.
The policy was widely condemned by human rights groups as “a collective punishment” and “a war crime and crime against humanity”.
Source: Palestinian News & Info Agency