A temporary freeze has been placed on the demolition of the home of Hamas-affiliated terrorist Muhammad al-Jabari, who killed 50-year-old Kiryat Arba resident Ronen Hanania and injured three others in October, the High Court of Justice ruled on Tuesday.
The court decided to stay the demolition until the petition of the terrorist's family could be heard next Tuesday.
It is common for demolition freezes of terrorists’ houses to occur to allow for family members to plead their case.
Right-wing legal aid group Honenu, which is representing victims of al-Jabari’s terrorist attack, decried the decision. They said that the freeze was a further step from High Court precedents that would satisfy the meeting of punishment against the terrorist-owned property by destroying only one floor of the building.
“Now the terrorists are trying to prevent this minimalist step through the High Court,” said Honenu attorney Haim Bleicher. “We will come to the hearing and demand to allow the IDF all the tools in order to deter and eradicate terrorism.”
Al-Jabari, who lived in Hebron, fired an M16-variant rifle at Hanania and his son as they returned to their car from a convenience store near the Ashmoret checkpoint. Hanania was struck in the head by a bullet and died at the scene of the attack. His 19-year-old son, who was injured in the attack, told Israeli media that he had seen his father’s death.
The terrorist reportedly fled the site but returned minutes later to resume his attack against medical personnel that had rushed to attend to the victims. Magen David Adom medic Ofer Ohana and a Palestinian medic were injured by Al-Jabari’s gunfire.
Al-Jabari was killed when he was struck by Kiryat Arba’s military security coordinator’s car and then shot by an off-duty IDF officer.
Israeli troops had already mapped the terrorist’s home for demolition the morning after the attack.
A teacher by profession, Al-Jabari was reportedly terminally ill with cancer. Several of his family members were said to be affiliated with Hamas and his brother was released from an Israeli prison as part of the Gilad Schalit deal.
Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report.