In operations to “deter others”, the family homes of five alleged perpetrators of attacks against Israelis in 2015 have been demolished by Israeli security forces since 14 November. Residents had expected the demolition but had no idea when it would happen.
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Mahmoud Yaekob, a friend of Mansara and Aysh, was sleeping when he got a call from a cousin alerting him to the soldiers’ presence. Instead, they used the Paris attacks as an opportunity to malign Palestinians, as they nearly always do following major attacks in Western countries.
“The fact that they published such a piece is just appalling and distressing”.
“There were hundreds of soldiers everywhere”, he said.
“We recognize Israel’s serious security challenges today, but any law enforcement response must be consistent with worldwide law”, Mr. Piper said. The Gaza health ministry said 17 rock-throwers were hurt from Israeli retaliatory fire. While being closely monitored at the site by security guards, who questioned anyone suspected of engaging in prayer, a number of visitors from a group of about 15 mumbled prayers quietly as they pretended to speak on their cellphones and cupped their hands over their mouths.
“One hit was confirmed and two suspects have been detained at the scene”, it said in a statement, with officials confirming the death of one assailant. The sounds of gunfire and exploding tear gas canisters could be heard. Also that day, the military demolished a fourth home belonging to a man who killed an Israeli on his way home from a basketball game. “They were born in the camp, and they lived in the camp and they died in the camp – for the camp”. “They left the area according to the army’s orders”.
For decades Israel has tried to sell its colonial conquest of Palestine as a war on Islamic terrorism.
“There were 1,500 [soldiers], at least”.
Meanwhile, a few Israeli media outlets attempted to falsely link the Paris attacks to the Palestinian-led movement to boycott, divest from and sanction Israel. “I would drink the soldiers’ blood if that meant protecting this camp”.
At the funeral for the two shooting victims on Saturday, Israeli president Reuven Rivlin compared the assault with Friday’s attacks that killed 129 people in Paris. Israel’s Jerusalem District Court indicted 13-year-old Manasra on charges of attempted murder on Oct 30 following an attack on two Israelis on Oct 12.
Rights groups and Palestinians argue the practice is counterproductive and inflicts collective punishment on whole families who had nothing to do with a crime.
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Israel recently revived the tactic of house demolitions, after a break of a decade, because of questions about its effectiveness as a deterrent and amid human rights concerns.
