HEBRON, Monday, August 12, 2019 (WAFA) – Israeli forces Monday overnight notified the families of two Palestinians suspected of killing an Israeli soldier on last Thursday about their intention to demolish their houses in Beit Kahel town, northwest of Hebron.

Security sources confirmed that an Israeli military force surrounded the family houses of Nasir Asafra and Kassem Asafra in Beit Kahel, and dragged the occupants outside before taking measurements and photos for the two houses in preparation for the planned punitive demolition.

The raid came three days after the cousins 24-year-old Nasir and 30-year-old Kassem were detained by Israeli forces for being suspected for the killing of an off-duty Israeli soldier outside the settlement of Ofra on last Thursday.

Kassem’s wife, Enas, and another man, identified as Akarma Asafra, were detained on suspicion they had assisted the suspected attackers.

Israel resorts to punitively demolish the family homes of Palestinians as a mean 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”.

Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law.

K.F.