Israel demolishes family home of 22-year-old Palestinian detainee
Israel demolishes family homes of Palestinian suspects under the guise of "deterring violence". Critics say the tactic amounts to collective punishment.
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Israeli forces demolished the home of a Palestinian detainee in the village of Kobar [AFP]
The Israeli military on Monday said its forces demolished the home of a Palestinian, who is accused of being behind a deadly blast in the Israel-annexed West Bank last year.
The Israeli military said that as it was carrying out the demolition in the village of Kobar, near Ramallah, dozens of Palestinians burned tires and hurled rocks and firebombs toward Israeli troops. It said the crowd was dispersed.
Witnesses said several Palestinians were injured, including one that the Red Crescent said was hit in the head with a gas canister.
The Israeli military said that as it was carrying out the demolition in the village of Kobar, near Ramallah, dozens of Palestinians burned tires and hurled rocks and firebombs toward Israeli troops. It said the crowd was dispersed.
Witnesses said several Palestinians were injured, including one that the Red Crescent said was hit in the head with a gas canister.
Israel says 22-year-old Qassem Barghouti carried out the attack in August, which killed 17-year-old Israeli Rina Shnerb and wounded her father and brother as they were hiking down to a spring in the West Bank near the settlement of Dolev.
Israel claims it demolishes the family homes of alleged "militants" to "deter violence". Critics say the tactic amounts to collective punishment.
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The demolition was only carried out after Israel's high court rejected the family’s petitions against the order.
Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said Israel's military "settled a score" with the Palestinian "terrorist".
"Destroying homes is an important tool in deterrence against terrorists," said Bennett said. "He who hurts us, we will harm him back. Jewish blood will not be spilled in vain."
Israel's Shin Bet security service launched a massive manhunt after the Aug. 23 bombing that killed Shnerb.
Authorities blamed the attack on the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – a leftist political party that has an armed wing.
The Shin Bet was accused of torturing some of those it arrested in connection with the attack. Barshouti's lawyer says his client was bitten in his genitals by a security dog when authorities raided his home to arrest him.
Read more: 'Legally-sanctioned torture': Rights groups accuse Israel of shocking abuse against Palestinian prisoners
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