RAMALLAH, July 5, 2017 (WAFA) – The Foreign Ministry strongly criticized on Wednesday the Israeli Supreme Court for rejecting a petition by the family of a Palestinian killed by Jews to demolish the perpetrators’ homes as is the case with Palestinians.

The ministry described the ruling as discriminatory and proof that the Israeli courts are a tool to prolong and justify occupation practices against the Palestinians.

Hussein Abu Kdeir, from Shufat in East Jerusalem, petitioned the Supreme Court to demolish the homes of three Jews convicted of kidnapping and burning to death of his son, Mohammad, 14, in July 2014, which was described as a terrorist act.

Even though the petition was submitted more than a year ago, the court ruled that since a long time has passed between the incident and the petition, it cannot order the demolition of the homes. It also said that home demolition policy, practiced extensively against Palestinians charged of killing Israelis, is a deterrent strategy and not punitive.

The court ruling came on the day the Israeli military government informed families of four Palestinians allegedly involved in killing Israelis that their homes will be demolished.

The Israeli Supreme Court “proves once again that its so-called judicial system is an integral part of the system of occupation, which seeks to perpetuate the occupation and impose a racist apartheid regime in occupied Palestine," said the Foreign Ministry in its statement reacting to the court’s ruling.

"What is both ironic and outrageous is the justification given by the racist occupation court in its refusal to demolish the homes of the murderous Jewish terrorists,” said the ministry, adding that these justifications are not heard of when it comes to the demolition of homes of Palestinian families.

M.K.