The IDF destroyed the home of one of the terrorists from the cell that killed Rina Shnerb in an attack last August at a spring near the West Bank settlement of Dolev, it said Monday morning.
Clashes broke out between dozens of Palestinians who burned tires and threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at the IDF as they entered the village of Kobar north of Ramallah to demolish the home of Qassem Shibli, one of the terrorists who carried out the Dolev attack. The IDF responded with crowd dispersal methods.
Palestinian media reported that, during the clashes, one Palestinian was hit in the face by rubber bullets and a military jeep was set on fire after being hit by Molotov cocktails.
The demolition was carried out after petitions filed by the family of the terrorist to the High Court of Justice were denied. Bian Hanatashe, Halmi Hamdan and Sana’a Magamus, family members of Shnerb’s killers, had all petitioned the High Court to block the demolition orders.
The family's two-storey home, as well as a water well and fruit trees near the house, were demolished on Sunday night, according to the Palestinian WAFA news.Defense Minister Naftali Bennett spoke of the demolition on Monday morning and said, "Tonight we settled an account with the heinous terrorist who took part in the murder of dear Rina Shnerb.""The destruction of homes is an important tool for deterrence against terrorists," Bennett said. "Those who are planning a terror attack will look and think twice. We must exact a heavy price from all who raise their hand to harm an Israeli citizen. Whoever hurts us, we will hurt them back."
Rina's parents, Rabbi Eitan and Shira Shnerb, gave birth to a daughter, Tiferet, last month. They found out that Shira was expecting during the Shiva (mourning) for Rina.
In March, the IDF demolished the home of Yazen Hassin Hassni Mjames in Bir Zeit, north of Ramallah, and the walls of the home of Walid Hanatshe in the Ramallah area, both terrorists involved in the Dolev attack.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the movement to which Qassem was affiliated, responded to the demolition, warning that it would "not extinguish the fire of the resistance," according to the Palestinian Safa news.
The terrorist group complained that the international community has been silent about the demolitions which they say have escalated in recent years. The PFLP added that the demolitions are inconsistent with the Fourth Geneva Conventions of 1949, and with the principles and rules of international law, and with the provisions of the Global Charter for Human Rights.Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem called the demolition a "war crime."
Israel’s home demolitions are widely panned globally as violating the Geneva Conventions ban on collective punishment. But Israel says the practice has a legal basis as a “military necessity” under Article 53 of the conventions. The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) has provided examples where it says arrested Palestinians told interrogators they held back from a terrorist attack for fear of what would happen to their families’ houses.
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.