Israel Punitively Demolishes Home of Killed Palestinian

Israeli forces at predawn Wednesday demolished the family house of Hussein Abu Ghush, 17, who was killed by Israeli soldiers on January 25, after he allegedly partook in a stabbing attack against Israeli soldiers.

Israeli troops and undercover forces broke into Qalandia refugee camp, to the north of Jerusalem, and demolished the family house of Abu Ghush, in a collective punishment against his entire family, provoking clashes with local Palestinians.

During the clashes, the Israeli troops used live ammunition and rubber-coated bullets to disperse the angry locals, injuring at least eight of them, including three with live bullets. Dozens others, meanwhile, suffered suffocation due to inhaling teargas against them used by the forces.

The Israeli army also reportedly detained a Palestinian, Hassan Sajdiya, during the offensive in Qalandia refugee camp.

Israeli accuses Abu Ghush of partaking in a stabbing attack against Israeli soldiers at a highway near Ramallah on January 25, 2016. He was instantly shot dead by Israeli troops during the same incident.

To be noted, 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 are involved in fatal attacks against Palestinians.

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.”

Source : WAFA