SALFIT, Wednesday, April 24, 2019 (WAFA) – Israeli forces Wednesday morning blew up the family house of a Palestinian who was allegedly engaged in a deadly attack against Israelis earlier this year in Az-Zawiya town, west of Salfit city.
WAFA correspondent said that a large Israeli force raided Az-Zawiya overnight and declared it a closed military zone before they broke into a two-storey building belonging to the family of Omar Amin Abu Laila.
Abu Laila, 19, allegedly killed two Israelis, including a soldier, and seriously injured another in a shooting attack outside Ariel settlement, north of Salfit city, on March 17.
He was later killed by Israeli forces when dozens of soldiers surrounded the house in which he barricaded himself in Obwin village, north of Ramallah. His body continues to be withheld by Israeli authorities.
WAFA correspondent added that prior to the demolition, soldier ransacked dozens of surrounding houses and forced about 50 families, including children and women, out of their houses.
Israeli soldiers planted explosives in the building and detonated it, reducing it to rubble and causing damage to surrounding houses.
The demolition raid lasted for over six hours during which soldiers opened fire towards local youngsters who protested the raid. No injuries were reported though.
Soldiers also attacked and fired tear gas bombs towards journalists and local villagers attempting to document the demolition.
Speaking during an interview with Palestine TV, Az-Zawiya mayor Naim Shqeir slammed the demolition raid as a “savage act designed to terrorize dozens of families” and pledged to rebuild the demolished building.
Israel resorts to punitively demolish the family homes of Palestinians- am a means 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”.
K.T./ K.F.
