Israeli military demolishes homes of 2 Palestinian attackers

Israel has destroyed the homes of two Palestinians accused of separate attacks that left five people dead, the army said today, the latest in a series of punitive demolitions that have drawn criticism from rights groups.

Bulldozers tore through Haroub’s home in the village of Dir Samt and Masalmeh’s house in Dura, both in the West Bank. Khalil killed two Israeli men during prayer services at a small synagogue in the Tel Aviv office building.

Tel Aviv is now demolishing 49 Palestinian residences in so-called Area C every week, compared to nine recorded in 2015, the report said. The other opened fire on cars in the West Bank, killing one Israeli, an American student and a Palestinian. The United Nations and most countries regard the Israeli settlements as unlawful.

The second also funeral took place in the town of al-Qubeiba, near al-Quds, where people buried Mansour Shawamra and Omar Mohammed who were gunned down by the Israeli troops outside the walls of al-Quds’ Old City on February 14.

An Israeli excavator partially demolishes a Palestinian house in the West Bank village of Dier Samit, south of Hebron February 23, 2016.

Israeli officials say such demolitions could deter other Palestinians from launching attacks in a wave of stabbings, shootings and auto rammings that have killed 28 Israelis and a US citizen since October. Both alleged assailants were arrested.

Although the article’s last paragraph notes that “Israel says young Palestinians are being incited to violence by their leaders and by Islamist groups calling for Israel’s destruction.” this is presented as a “claim” by Israel, unlike the earlier paragraph where the Palestinian position is presented as fact. Critics say the tactic amounts to collective punishment.