Israel demolishes houses in the villages of the Palestinian perpetrators of the Jerusalem attack

Israeli authorities today announced the demolition of homes in the villages in the occupied West Bank from which the two Palestinian gunmen who attacked a bus stop yesterday Monday are from, and will cancel the work permits of hundreds of their relatives and co-relatives.

The two Palestinians, who hailed from the West Bank villages of Qatana and Qubeiba, opened fire yesterday on a bus stop at an entrance to Jerusalem, killing six people.

In a statement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said he called for sanctions against relatives and associates of the two attackers.

Any building constructed without a permit in the two villages will be demolished and the work permits of 750 people in Israel will be cancelled.

Israel uses the demolition of houses owned by relatives of attack perpetrators as a deterrent. Palestinians and human rights advocacy organizations denounce these actions as collective punishment, which is prohibited by international law.

The two perpetrators of yesterday’s attack were killed on the spot. Israeli police also said they arrested an East Jerusalem resident who is suspected of “helping the attackers reach the scene of the attack” and added that they are continuing to investigate to identify any other accomplices.

For his part, Israeli Defense Minister said the list of communities whose Israeli residents will be allowed to obtain a permit to carry weapons would be expanded.

“This horrific attack proved once again that guns save lives, as two armed civilians, carrying weapons under the reform we lead, overpowered the terrorists,” he said.