IDF Demolishes Eastern Yerushalayim Terrorists’ Homes

The IDF on Tuesday demolished the homes of two Palestinian terrorists in eastern Yerushalayim, the army’s first concrete steps following a late night Cabinet meeting in which Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu promised a “strong hand” to quell recent deadly attacks.

The homes demolished early Tuesday belonged to the families of Ghassan Abu Jamal, one of two brothers who brutally killed four mispallelim, Hy”d, and a Druze police officer at the Har Nof Bnei Torah shul last year, and a second attacker, Muhammed Naif El-Jaabis, who rammed an earthmover into a bus in Yerushalayim on Aug. 4 last year, during Operation Protective Edge, killing Reb Avraham Wallis, Hy”d, and wounding five. He was shot dead by police at the scene.

Although the attackers were immediately killed, Israel often carries out demolitions of the homes of terrorists’ families, believing they will deter future attacks.

Also Tuesday, troops sealed off a room at the home of a third attacker, who tried to kill a Jewish activist last year, ahead of its potential demolition.

In a related development, Israel Radio reported Tuesday that it had obtained official Palestinian government documents confirming hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to prisoners convicted in some of the deadliest attacks on Israelis.

Palestinians have long acknowledged paying support to the families of prisoners held by Israel, but payments personally to prisoners convicted in deadly attacks have never been made public.

Israel Radio claims the documents show hefty sums given to those serving multiple life sentences in Israeli prisons, including Hamas terrorists behind suicide bombings that killed dozens of Israelis.

Israeli officials said the money trail was another sign of Palestinian encouragement of violence.

Ashraf al-Ajrami, a former Palestinian minister for prisoners, confirmed the report, saying the prisoners are “heroes” and that the money is for the well-being of their families.

This article appeared in print on page 2 of the October 7th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.