Israel’s defense minister orders demolishment of buildings, revokes work and entry permits for hundreds of Palestinians
The Israeli army imposed collective punishment on thousands of Palestinians in West Bank villages on Tuesday following a deadly shooting attack in Jerusalem.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said on US social media company X that he ordered civil sanctions on the families of two Palestinians accused of involvement in the attack and the demolition of all buildings constructed without permits in Al-Qubeiba and Qatanna villages of East Jerusalem.
He said work permits and entry permits to Israel for 750 Palestinians will also be revoked after the attack that killed six Israelis and injured 30 others on Monday.
According to Israel’s domestic security agency Shin Bet and police, two individuals from Al-Qubeiba and Qatanna villages of East Jerusalem allegedly carried out the attack.
The Israeli army said in a statement that its forces operated in the two villages to inspect and document their homes, a step usually preceding demolition, and interrogate Palestinians in the area.
On Monday, the army imposed a tight security cordon northwest of Jerusalem and carried out raids in several areas following the attack.
The Palestinian news agency Wafa said the Israeli army continued to block the main road between Biddu and Al-Jib towns in East Jerusalem on the second consecutive day, hindering the movement of nearly 70,000 residents.
Several other towns were also raided by the army forces, where they have detained many people and fired tear gas canisters and live ammunition at hundreds.
Tension has been running high across the occupied West Bank amid a brutal Israeli assault on Gaza that has killed more than 64,600 people since October 2023, and devastated the entire enclave.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
