IDF demolishes homes of terrorists who killed Rina Shnerb
Clashes broke out between the IDF and Palestinians, with dozens of protesters suffering from suffocation due to tear gas, according to Palestinian reports.
By TZVI JOFFREIDF soldiers at the demolition of terrorist Islam Yousef Abu Hamid's house, al-Am’ari refugee camp, October 24 2019(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
The IDF on Wednesday night demolished the homes of two of the terrorists involved in the attack that killed 17-year-old Rina Shnerb in August, it said Thursday morning.The house of Yazen Hassin Hassni Mjames in Bir Zeit, north of Ramallah, and the walls of the home of Walid Hanatshe in the Ramallah area were demolished overnight by soldiers, the IDF said.“[We will] let any would-be terrorist know that his house will be destroyed and [then] watched to ensure it is not rebuilt,” OC Binyamin Regional Command Col. Yonatan Steinberg said Thursday.Clashes broke out between soldiers and Palestinians, with dozens of protesters affected by tear gas, according to Palestinian reports. Two Palestinian youths reportedly were wounded by rubber bullets after local residents were asked to keep the soldiers away from the two houses.Violent disturbances broke out during the demolition, with dozens of Palestinians burning tires and throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails toward soldiers, who responded with dispersal methods, the IDF said.Soldiers stormed apartments near Hanatshe’s house and “terrorized the residents, especially the children,” a Palestinian media outlet reported. The soldiers reportedly took pictures of the house after the demolition.“We settled the score with the heinous murderers,” Defense Minister Naftali Bennett told Shnerb’s parents Thursday morning. “Those who spill Jewish blood will be held accountable.”“We must exact a heavy price from all who raise their hand to harm an Israeli citizen,” he said. “We won’t stop going after those who wish to harm us.”Last month, the High Court of Justice approved the IDF’s intention to demolish the houses of Shnerb’s killers despite the impact it would have on uninvolved family members and their neighbors.Bian Hanatashe, Halmi Hamdan and Sana’a Magamus, family members of Shnerb’s killers, had all petitioned the High Court to block the demolition orders.
Israel’s home demolitions are widely panned globally as violating the Geneva Conventions ban on collective punishment. But Israel says the practice has a legal basis as a “military necessity” under Article 53 of the conventions. The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) has provided examples where it says arrested Palestinians told interrogators they held back from a terrorist attack for fear of what would happen to their families’ houses.Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
