IDF demolishes home of Palestinian terrorist who killed two soldiers
Alaa Kabha rammed his car into Cpt. Ziv Daus and Sgt. Netanel Kahalani in March near West Bank settlement of Mevo Dotan
By ANNA AHRONHEIMUpdated: JUNE 21, 2018 20:18IDF forces demolish the home of a terrorist Alaa Kabha, June 21st, 2018(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Israel’s military destroyed the home of Palestinian terrorist Alaa Kabha from the West Bank village of Barta’a, who murdered two IDF soldiers in a vehicular ramming attack in March.Troops from the Menashe Territorial Brigade along with Border Police officers and the Civil Administration carried out the demolition of Kabha’s home, located on the third floor of an apartment building.According to the Palestinian Wafa News Agency, the demolition of Kabha’s 150-square meter apartment, in a building owned by his father Rateb Kabha, caused damage to other apartments in the building.On March 16, Kabha fatally rammed his car into brigade commander officer Capt. Ziv Daus, 21, and Sgt. Netanel Kahalani, 20, near the settlement of Mevo Dotan. Daus, from the central Israeli town of Azor, and Kahalani, from the northern community of Elyakim, were killed instantly.Kabha, 26, was lightly to moderately hurt in the attack and evacuated to the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera, where he was interrogated by the Shin Bet security service.According to the Shin Bet, Kabha, who had served time in prison for previous security violations before being released in April 2017, admitted to intentionally hitting the soldiers for nationalistic reasons.Following the attack, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman called for the death sentence to be imposed on the terrorist.While no Palestinian terror group claimed responsibility for the attack, it was praised by both Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both of which called for “further attacks against the Zionist occupation.”“This attack makes it clear that the intifada is continuing for the Palestinian people,” said Hamas spokesperson Hazam Kasam.After the deadly attack, troops from the Menashe Brigade entered Barta’a and mapped Kabha’s house for demolition.
A controversial tactic, Israeli officials say home demolitions are a key deterrent to stop other potential attackers, but Palestinians and human rights groups criticize the army for using collective punishment by demolishing the homes of the terrorist’s families.When the demolition order was issued for Kabha’s home at the beginning of May, two of his family members petitioned the Supreme Court, arguing that it was contrary to international law and claimed that the accusations against Kabha had not yet been proven. In addition, they argued, Kabha only lived in part of the apartment that was also inhabited by his wife, daughter and brother.The petition was rejected by Supreme Court Justices Noam Solberg, Daphne Barak-Erez, and David Mintz.
