The IDF has announced its intention to demolish the floor of the home where lived one of the Palestinian terrorists who murdered Yehuda Dimentman in December.
Twenty-five-year-old Dimentman was killed near the Homesh outpost in the West Bank in a shooting attack carried out by members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Though the attackers were able to escape the scene, they were later arrested by IDF troops.
“On Thursday morning, the family of Mahmoud Jaradat was notified of the IDF’s intention to demolish the floor where the terrorist lived,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.
The family was given the opportunity to file an objection to the demolition.
Dimentman’s family said that while they welcomed the move by Israel, it was “too little, too late.”
“We welcome the IDF’s announcement of the intention to destroy the home of one of the terrorists,” they said. “But we are sorry that instead of destroying the houses of all the members of the cell immediately, the IDF has been cowed and so far intends to destroy only one house.
“We demand that the IDF issues full demolition orders for the homes of the five terrorists who were complicit in the attack and attempted to escape. In addition, we mention that the IDF has so far refused to destroy the house of the terrorist who murdered Elijah Kay, may his memory be blessed. We demand the complete destruction of all homes belonging to terrorists.”
Israeli officials say home demolitions – despite being controversial – are a key deterrent to other potential attackers. Palestinians and human rights groups, however, criticize the army for using collective punishment by demolishing the homes of the terrorist’s families.
The IDF believes that while there is no exact science to stopping terrorist attacks, home demolitions have led to attacks being thwarted and less motivation to carry them out.
The military issued an order last week to demolish the home of Hamas member Fadi Abu Shkhaydam, who had opened fire on a number of Israeli men near the entrance to the Western Wall on November 22, killing 26-year-old Kay and injuring four others. Border Police officers returned fire and killed him.
Shkhaydam lived in east Jerusalem’s Shuafat refugee camp. His family had appealed the decision but their requests were rejected.