Amid unrest in West Bank, Israel demolishes militants’ homes

The Israeli military on Tuesday demolished homes of two Palestinian militants in east Jerusalem, the army’s first concrete steps following a late night Cabinet meeting in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised a “strong hand” to quell recent deadly attacks. The demolitions come amid weeks of heightened Palestinian unrest in east Jerusalem and the West Bank and a bloody holiday weekend in which four Israelis were killed in shooting and stabbing attacks. Israeli forces have killed four Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy, during violent protests.

We are in a difficult struggle but one thing should be clear - we will win. Just as we defeated previous waves of terrorism, we will defeat this one as well.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

The homes demolished Tuesday belonged to the families of a man who killed seven worshippers in a Jerusalem synagogue last year, and a second attacker who killed one person when he rammed a bulldozer into traffic. “We are acting with a strong hand against terrorism and against inciters. We are operating on all fronts,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The rash of violence began Thursday when Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli couple in their car near a settlement in the West Bank as their four children watched from the backseat. Two days later, a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli man to death and seriously wounded his wife as they walked in Jerusalem’s Old City, then attacked and killed another Israeli man.

Middle East West Bank