Ramallah: Seven Palestinian homes have been destroyed with in 24 hours across the Occupied West Bank by Israelis.
Israeli forces destroyed the family
homes of a trio Ahmad Zakarneh, Mohammad Kmeel and Ahmad Abu el-Rub, who fatally shot an Israeli Border Policewoman near Jerusalem’s Damascus Gate. And four other homes were also razed in the Occupied East Jerusalem and villages of Surif and Duma in West Bank.
The family of a fourth man was imprisoned by Israel following accusations of aiding the three young men and was also handed a demolition order.
Five Palestinians were shot with rubber-coated steel bullets. They were rushed to the hospital in Jenin.
Israel’s Supreme Court has turned down the appeals made on behalf of the families for the demolitions.
Rajeh Zakarneh, Ahmad’s father, said the family dismantled and moved furniture after losing the petition. He said. “I built this house with my own two hands, but my son is worth more than a thousand homes.”
The court had canceled home-demolition orders on Sunday for three of four Palestinians convicted of being involved in a stone-throwing attack in September that led to the death of an Israeli motorist.
Najeh Abu el-Rub, Ahmad’s father, said.
“We turned to the courts but that did nothing for us. They insisted on destroying the houses,”
Chief Palestinian negotiator Sa’eb Erekat Abu el-Rub said. The house demolitions were tantamount to acts of “collective
punishment” that are being reported to the International Criminal Court.
He said.”Granting impunity for continued Israeli crimes will not achieve a resumption of negotiations, rather, it is killing any
realistic political horizon to end the Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine.”
Qabatiya, is a home to 20,000 Palestinians, which is sealed completely by the Israeli army twice in recent months, and also revoked the work permit of many inhabitants. Since last year at least 10 Palestinians from the town have been killed by Israeli forces.
According to the Palestine Liberation Organisation’s Negotiations Affairs Department. Nearly 200 Palestinians, including civilians, assailants and others whom Israeli officials claim were armed with knives, have been killed. Since September last year, 57 houses belonging to Palestinians have been levelled.