RAMALLAH, January 9, 2016 (WAFA) – Israeli forces predawn Saturday demolished the family house of a Palestinian accused of stabbing and killing two Israelis in early October in Surda village, north of Ramallah.

WAFA correspondent reported that large Israeli forces, escorting a bulldozer, stormed and cordoned off Surda village, closing the mains roads leading to it and preventing the passage of vehicles through the main street, prior to the demolition.

Forces proceeded to demolish the family house of Muhammad Halabi, 19, whom Israel accused of carrying out a stabbing attack in Jerusalem’s Old City in October 2015.

WAFA reported on Muhannad’s father, Shafiq, as saying that forces demolished his three-storey family house and a nearby storage.

He reportedly added that despite the fact that they had evacuated their house two months ago, they headed to their house when they learned that forces had arrived to demolish it.

They said that were physically assaulted by Israeli forces who cordoned off the area and threatened to detain them if they approach the scene.

Halabi was shot dead by Israeli police after stabbing and killing two Israelis and injuring two others in Jerusalem’s Old City on October 3.

The two Israeli casualties were then identified as rabbi Nehemiah Lavi and Aharon Banita.

The planned demolition of Halabi’s family house came in line with the Israeli policy of punitive demolition of family houses of Palestinians suspected of carrying out attacks on Israeli targets.

Israel resorts to punitively demolish the family homes of any Palestinians – as means of deterrence - accused of being involved in attacks against Israelis, a policy that Israel does not use against Israeli settlers who were involved in fatal attacks against Palestinians.

This policy was widely condemned by human rights organizations as “collective punishment” and “a war crime and a crime against humanity”.

B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, says: “The people who bear the brunt of the [punitive] demolitions are relatives – including women, the elderly, and children – whom Israel does not suspect of involvement in any offense.”

“In the vast majority of cases, the person whose actions prompted the demolition was not even living in the house at the time of the demolition,” adds the group.

“The official objective of the house demolition policy is deterrence … yet the deterrent effect of house demolitions has never been proven.”

It said that, “Since this constitutes deliberate harm to innocents, it is clear that even if house demolition had the desired deterrent effect, it would, nevertheless, remain unlawful.”

Amnesty International, argued that, the Israeli authorities’ claim that such demolitions are effective in dissuading potential attackers “is entirely irrelevant in the eyes of International humanitarian law, which places clear s on the actions which an occupying power may take in the name of security, and the absolute prohibition on collective punishment is one of the most important of these rules.”

“Collective punishment is never permissible under any circumstances.”

K.F./T.R.