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Scene. Published by Maan News
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JENIN (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces punitively demolished the home of a Palestinian prisoner on Friday at dawn, in the Jenin-area Qabatiya town in the northern occupied West Bank.

Palestinian security sources told Ma’an that Israeli forces raided the eastern part of Qabatiya and imposed a strict closure in the area surrounding Muhammad Abu al-Rub’s home before demolishing it.

Al-Rub was arrested in October after allegedly being involved in the stabbing of an Israeli settler in the nearby town of Kafr Qasim.

Reports at the time said the Palestinian suspects were working at a construction site in Kafr Qasim, and stabbed the settler -- their employer -- over a monetary dispute.

Israeli forces delivered a demolition notice to the al-Rub family in late October, telling the family to evacuate or appeal the decision. Sources told Ma’an that the family tried to appeal the decision in an Israeli court, but their appeal was rejected.

Sources told Ma’an that clashes erupted during the demolition between Palestinians in and Israeli soldiers who fired stun grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets at locals.

One youth was reportedly injured with a rubber-coated steel bullet in the back, while a child suffered from severe tear-gas inhalation. Both were transferred to the Jenin Governmental Hospital for treatment.

Israel has come under harsh condemnation over the past several years for its response to attacks committed by Palestinians on Israelis, which rights groups have said amounted to “collective punishment” on family members and entire communities in a clear violation of international law.

While Israeli authorities have argued that punitive home demolitions serve as a deterrent against further attacks, Palestinians have argued that the widespread use of such a policy only against Palestinians, and not against Israelis who have committed attacks against Palestinians, has only fueled more anger against the decades-long Israeli occupation.
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by IMEMC News

Israeli soldiers invaded, on Friday at dawn, the town of Qabatia, south of the northern West bank city of Jenin, and demolished a home, in addition to causing many Palestinians, including an infant and an elderly woman, in addition to detaining two young men.

Deputy Governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu ar-Rob, said dozens of soldiers invaded Qabatia, before breaking into the family home of detainee Mohammad Ziad Abu ar-Rob, and forced the family out before demolishing the property.

The demolition is an act of collective punishment by the Israeli government against the family of Mohammed, who is currently in Israeli prison charged with killing an Israeli man, identified as Reuven Schmerling, 69, this past October, in Kafr Qassem, where he and another detained Palestinians worked.

The family filed appeals against the demolition of their property, but the Israeli Supreme Court rejected the appeals, allowing the army to proceed with the demolition.

The demolished home was 140 square/meters, where Mohammad’s parent and five siblings resided. The soldiers invaded the property and forced them out before leveling it.

The family was only informed of the date for demolishing their property just one day before the army leveled it.

Following the invasion and home demolition, some Palestinian youngsters hurled stones at the army, while the soldiers fired many live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets and gas bombs.

The Red Crescent Society said scores of Palestinians, including an infant identified as Badr Naji Abu Zeid, and an elderly woman, Sabeeha Ragheb Abu Zeid, were among many Palestinians who suffered the effects of teargas inhalation.

It added that a young man, identified as Ahmad Arafat Hanaisha, 25, was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet in his back, and was moved to Khalil Suleiman governmental hospital.

The soldiers also detained Saleh Amjad Loubani and Qussai Mohammad Kamil, and held them at the Salem military base, before releasing them in the morning.

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