Israeli NGO slams renewed punitive house demolition policy

Israeli NGO B’Tselem has condemned the government’s revival of punitive house demolitions, describing recent orders by PM Benjamin Netanyahu as “unlawful and immoral.”

According to the group, destroying or sealing the homes of families of Palestinians who carry out attacks against Israelis constitutes “collective punishment”.

B’Tselem lists six, targeted homes:

• Apartment of Ibrahim ‘Akari’s wife and young children, on third floor of 3-story building, Shu’fat.
• Apartment of Muhammad Ja’abis’s mother, on second floor of two-story building, Jabal al-Mukabber.
• Apartment of Mu’taz Hejazi’s parents, on first floor of building in Abu Tor, where his parents, brother and sister live.
• Apartment of Maher Hashlamon’s wife and young children, on fourth floor of 5-story building, Hebron.
• Home of Nur a-Din Abu Hashiyah’s parents, in ‘Askar Refugee Camp near Nablus. His parents live there with five of their children, one of whom is a minor.
• Home of the Shaludi family in Silwan.

Israeli occupation authorities have made “thousands” of Palestinians homeless since 1967 through punitive demolitions (this in addition to those displaced for building without a permit). In 2005, however, the government accepted the recommendations of a military committee that the practice be halted on the grounds of “questionable effectiveness.”

B’Tselem concludes by noting that “irrespective of effectiveness”, punitive home demolition “contravenes basic moral standards by punishing people for the misdeeds of others.”