Israel demolishes Palestinian detainee’s home

Israeli occupation forces this morning demolished the family home of a Palestinian suspect in last August’s killing of 17-year-old Rina Shnerb during a blast from a homemade bomb at a natural spring near the illegal Israeli settlement of Dolev in the occupied West Bank. Shnerb’s father and brother, who were hiking with her, were wounded in the attack.

The house in the village of Kobar, north of Ramallah, belonged to Qassem Shibli who is accused of carrying out the attack and was approved by the High Court of Justice rejected petitions from his family against the demolition. The notice issued in January is one of many threats faced by Palestinians standing trial.

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However the action by the military was met with dozens of Palestinians protesting in response by burning tyres and throwing stones at soldiers, who in turn responded with “crowd dispersal methods” reported Haaretz.

According to the Red Crescent, four Palestinians were injured during the clashes, including one hit by a gas grenade.

In March the Israeli army also demolished the homes of two other Palestinians allegedly involved in the attack; Walid Hanatasha and Yazan Magamis. Both had been notified of the intent to demolish their family’s homes in February and also filed petitions. Israel does not allow demolished houses to be rebuilt and threatens to knock down any attempts to restore the residence.

Israel’s wildly practiced policies of home demolitions targeting entire families are acts of illegal collective punishment and come in direct violation of International Human Rights Law.