Israel destroys homes of Palestinian ‘attackers’

The Jewish country has renewed home demolitions as a tactic aimed at deterring attacks

Palestinian men shout as tear gas fired by Israeli forces rises in the background during clashes at a protest in the Arab East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Jabel Mukaber on Friday. They were deamnding that bodies of their brethren, who have been killed in the latest wave of violence with Israel, be returned to them. The Israeli military has, early on Saturday, demolished the West Bank homes of four Palestinians who carried out deadly attacks.

The Israeli military says it has demolished the West Bank homes of four Palestinians who carried out deadly attacks.

The military carried out the demolitions early on Saturday after clearance from the Supreme Court. It says the three homes in Nablus belonged to attackers who killed an Israeli couple in front of their children. It says the other home, near Ramallah, belonged to a man who killed an Israeli on his way home from a basketball game.

Tactic to deter attacks

Israel has renewed home demolitions as a tactic aimed at deterring attacks. In the last two months, Palestinians have killed 14 Israelis, mainly in stabbing attacks, while 81 Palestinians have been killed.

Israel says 51 of the Palestinians were involved in assaults and the rest died in clashes with security forces.