HEBRON, July 19, 2016 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation forces Tuesday took measurement for the home of a Palestinian whom Israel accuses of carrying out Tel Aviv’s fatal shooting attack, according to a local activist.

‏Coordinator of the national committee against the separation wall and settlements, Rateb al-Jabour, informed WAFA Israeli forces raided the home of detainee Younis Zain, 22, in Hebron’s town of Yatta, and proceeded to take measurement for the house, as a prelude to punitively demolish it.

To be noted, Zain, along with his cousin, were accused of carrying out the shooting attack that took place at a food and shopping center in Tel Aviv in June. Four people were killed and six others were wounded in the attack.

According to the Israeli daily, Haartez, ‘One of the shooters was captured by police and taken in for questioning, and the other was taken to Ichilov Hospital in serious but stable condition’.

According to Reuters, “The Tel Aviv gunmen, cousins in their 20s who, security experts said, appeared to have entered Israel without permits, were quickly apprehended. One of them was shot and wounded.”

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.

Al-Haq human rights group slammed the punitive home demolition of Palestinians suspected of being involved in attacks against Israelis, as a collective punishment and that in accordance with humanitarian law and human rights law; it is assessed as 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.”

In the meantime, 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,” it said.

In November, 2016, the United Nations’ Coordinator for Humanitarian Aid and Development Activities in the occupied Palestinian Territory, Robert Riper, contended that Israel’s punitive home demolition policy taken against Palestinians suspected of carrying attacks against Israelis violates  international law, calling for its cessation.

“I am distressed by reports of punitive demolitions carried out by Israeli security forces of five homes in the Jerusalem, Nablus, and Ramallah governorates in the last few days,” said UN Riper.

“We recognize Israel’s serious security challenges today, but any law enforcement response must be consistent with international law,” maintaining that, “Punitive demolitions are inherently unjust, punishing innocent people for the acts of others.”

“Punitive demolitions are a form of collective penalty as they effectively punish not only the alleged perpetrators but also people (relatives, neighbors) for acts they have not individually committed,”  stressed the statement.

The policy of such punitive demolitions was suspended by the Government of Israel in 2005 after an Israeli military committee deemed it ineffective as a deterrent.

Such actions have restarted since mid-2014, with the exception of one case in 2009.

T.R.