Israel demolishes three Palestinian homes in Jerusalem and Hebron, drawing US rebuke

Israeli forces have demolished three Palestinian homes in Hebron and East Jerusalem, drawing rare criticism from the US in one case.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab Staff

10 November, 2023

Israel has demolished two Palestinian homes in Hebron [Mamoun Wazwaz/Anadolu/Getty]

Israel has demolished three Palestinian homes in recent days, with the US issuing a rebuke in one case.

Israeli forces entered occupied East Jerusalem's Shuafat refugee camp on Wednesday and demolished the family home of Muhammad Zalbani.

The 13-year-old was accused of stabbing and killing an Israeli police officer in February.

"The government of Israel has demolished the home of a Palestinian family in response to the actions of their 13-year-old child," the US Office of Palestinian Affairs said on social media platform X on Friday.

"An entire family should not lose their home because of the actions of one individual."

The Government of Israel has demolished the home of a Palestinian family in response to the actions of their 13-year-old child. An entire family should not lose their home because of the actions of one individual.
— U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs (@USPalAffairs) November 10, 2023

Israel also demolished two homes in the occupied West Bank on Friday, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

"Israeli occupation forces blew up two homes belonging to Mohammed and Saqer Shanteer, two Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron," Wafa said, citing local sources.

A correspondent for the news agency said the Israelis raided the Shanteer family's homes, ordered the people living inside out, and placed explosives.

In one building, they blew up the second floor. In the other, they detonated explosives in an apartment. A bulldozer was also in attendance to finish the procedure.

Israel often demolishes homes belonging to the families of Palestinians it alleges have carried out attacks and human rights groups have condemned it for this, saying it is a form of collective punishment.

Israel has also killed over 180 Palestinians in the West Bank since 7 October, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel and Israel retaliated with an indiscriminate war on the Gaza Strip.