HEBRON, February 23, 2016 (WAFA) – Israeli forces Tuesday demolished two homes belonging to two Palestinians, whom Israel detained almost three months ago, for their involvement in two separate stabbing and shooting attacks that left several Israeli settlers dead.

WAFA correspondent said Israeli armed soldiers stormed Deir Sammit village to the west of Hebron’s town of Dura in the predawn hours, and proceeded to demolish the home of detainee Mohammed Abdel-Basit al-Horoub.

Israel detained al-Horoub almost three months ago, after he carried out a shooting attack at Etzion junction in Hebron, killing two settlers and injuring at least 10 others.

Witnesses reported that forces also demolished another home belonging to detainee Ra’ed Masalameh, whom Israel detained almost three months ago after he carried out a stabbing attack in Tel Aviv, Israel. The attack reportedly claimed the lives of two settlers.

The 200-square-meter home is located in the village of Taroosa, also to the west of Dura town.

Israel demolishes homes of Palestinians following alleged or confirmed attacks against Israeli targets as a means of ‘deterrence’. However, the Israeli human rights center, B’Tselem, maintained in this regard as saying that, “The official objective of the house demolition policy is deterrence … yet the deterrent effect of house demolitions has never been proven.”

“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,” said B’Tselem.

“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.

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.”

B’Tselem stated, “In February 2005 a military committee, chaired by Major General Udi Shani, reached a similar conclusion, determining that the efficacy of the house demolition policy as a counter-terrorism tool was questionable, and that it “walked the line” of legality.

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.”

Amnesty international slammed Israel’s policy of punitive home demolitions as a collective punishment, stating that, “Collective punishment is never permissible under any circumstances.”

T.R.