Israel demolishes home of Palestinian who killed three

The Israeli army on Wednesday destroyed the home of a Palestinian who killed three Israelis at the entrance to a settlement in the occupied West Bank, the army said.

An army spokeswoman said the demolition of the apartment, in Beit Surik village north of Jerusalem, went ahead "without incident".

Nimer Aljamal, 37, was shot dead on September 26 after killing two Israeli security guards and a border police officer outside the Har Adar settlement in the central West Bank.

His uncle Issa told AFP the army arrived around 1.30am.

"They demanded we evacuate and blew up the house. It is now a cement block which can't be used."

Israel occupied the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967 in a move never recognised by the international community.

Its settlements are deemed illegal under international law.

Israel routinely demolishes the homes of Palestinians who carry out attacks, and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had promised such a response for Aljamal.

Politicians defend the tactic as a deterrent against future violence, but critics say it amounts to collective punishment.

Since a wave of violence broke out in October 2015, at least 308 Palestinians or Arab Israelis and 51 Israelis have been killed.

Israeli authorities say most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks. Others were shot dead in protests and clashes.

Violence has subsided significantly in recent months.