West Bank – The Israeli military early Saturday demolished the family home of a Palestinian who it says stabbed a Jewish mother to death in front of her children, in one of the most grisly killings in an eight-month wave of violence.
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The military said its forces entered the West Bank village of Yatta to knock down the family residence of Morad Bader Abdullah Adais. The military says he killed Dafna Meir, a mother of six, in her home in the Jewish settlement of Otniel in January. He fled the scene and was later arrested.
Israel says it carries out housing demolitions to deter future attacks. The Palestinians consider it a form of collective punishment.
Over the last eight months, Palestinians have carried out dozens of attacks on civilians and security forces, mostly stabbings, shootings and car ramming assaults that have killed 32 Israelis and two Americans. About 200 Palestinians have been killed during that time, most identified as attackers by Israel. The assaults were once near-daily incidents but they have become less frequent in recent weeks.
On Wednesday, however, two Palestinians from Yatta opened fire in Tel Aviv’s Sarona district, a popular shopping and restaurant area, killing four Israeli civilians.
The military arrested several people in connection to that attack, froze 83,000 Palestinian travel permits to Israel and imposed checkpoints to restrict movement in and out of the village where the Palestinian gunmen were from. It also imposed a three-day closure of the West Bank that coincided with the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.
This policy of collective punishment (a fancy way of saying punishing the innocent) has worked wonders. That is as far as turning more of the younger generation into haters of the State and towards terrorist activity. But it appeases the low-information Israeli citizen, so I guess it’s worth it.
What took so long? This should be done up to 48 hours after a murder.
Israel’s response is “disproportionate.” They should have leveled the entire city.
why was he not in that house when it was demolished? I am outargued and demand an explanation.
how many palastinians children, mothers etc etc were slaughtered, maimed etc tc by settlers the last 30 ears that you are ready to equate, Mr Member of the BDS, B’tzelem etc?
Hey Truth! Tell the truth. Are you a Palestinian? Are you a member of Jewish Voice For Peace? Are you a member of B’tzelem? Or are you just a garden variety jackass?