Palestinian families accused of being responsible for the deaths of two Israelis have been notified of the occupation’s intention to demolish their homes. The notices allow the families to appeal to courts before the planned demolitions.

Among the homes slated to be demolished is that of the families of Mahmoud Atuna, Walid Hanatsheh and Yasan Majamas.

Mahmoud Atuna is a suspected member of Hamas and one of the five Palestinians who are accused of being involved in the attack that killed 19-year-old Israel soldier Dvir Sorek in the occupied West Bank in August last year.

Sorek was a resident of the illegal Ofra settlement, and studied in Migdal Oz settlement, north of occupied Hebron. He was reported missing overnight, and his body was discovered close to Migdal Oz.

The Beit Kahil home of cousins Nasir Asafra, 24, and Qassem Asafra, 30, who are two of the five members charged with Sorek’s murder, was demolished last year, according to i24 News.

Walid Hanatsheh and Yzaen Majame are among five of those standing trial for carrying out an attack in which 17-year-old Rina Shnerb was murdered in the occupied West Bank in August.

Shnerb was killed and her father and brother were injured by an explosive device that was planted at a natural spring outside the central West Bank settlement of Dolev, reported the Times of Israel.

All five members – Samer Arbid, Walid Hanatsheh, Abed El-Razeq Faraj, Yzaen Majames and Kasem Shibli – were indicted in mid-December.

Military sources said demolitions of the homes of other members of that group were under consideration.

In addition, the Israeli soldiers announced that they will demolish again the house of Ahmed Qunbeh, who was among those responsible for killing Rabbi Raziel Shevach, 35, in a drive-by shooting attack on Route 60 in January 2018.

The house was demolished the following April, but according to the Israeli army statement, since then it has been rebuilt.

Israel’s does not allow demolished homes to be rebuilt, and it has carried out repeated demolition work when such attempts are made.

Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that Israel’s policy of demolitions contravenes international law and is a form of collective punishment.

 

Source: Middle East Monitor