HEBRON, Friday, January 18, 2019 (WAFA) – Israeli forces on Thursday night blew up the family house of a Palestinian prisoner in the southern West Bank town of Yatta, south of Hebron, said security sources and a local activist.
Israeli forces escorting a military bulldozer raided the neighbourhood of al-Hila in Yatta and cordoned it off before proceeding to demolish the house of the family of Khalil Jabarin, 17.
Coordinator of the National and Popular Committees in southern Hebron Rateb al-Jbour told WAFA that Israeli forces stormed the house, located in the third floor of a residential building in Yatta, evacuated its residents and blew it up.
Jabarin purportedly carried out a stabbing attack near the illegal settlement of Gush Etzion, on September 16, killing a settler and injuring another, before being shot and detained by Israeli forces.
The military raid triggered violent confrontations in the town. Dozens of Palestinian youths hurled stones at soldiers who fired towards them. No injuries were reported though.
On December 16, Israeli forces notified the family about their intention to punitively demolish their apartment and allowed them a grace period until January 2nd, 2019 to appeal the demolition order.
The Jabarin family had appealed the court’s ruling to demolish the house, however, their appeal was dismissed.
Israel resorts to punitively demolish the family homes of Palestinians- am a means of deterrence- accused of being involved in attacks against Israelis, a policy that Israel does not apply to Israeli settlers who were involved in fatal attacks against Palestinians.
The policy was widely condemned by human rights groups as “a collective punishment” and “a war crime and crime against humanity”.
K.F/M.N
