The US on Thursday denounced the Israeli army demolition of the family home of a Palestinian-American man accused of carrying out a shooting attack on Israeli settlers.
In a statement, the US Embassy in Israel said: "As we stated numerous times, the home of an entire family should not be demolished for the actions of one individual."
It added that it is following reports of the demolition, and that all sides should “refrain from unilateral steps that exacerbate tensions and undercut efforts to advance a negotiated two-state solution, this certainly includes the punitive demolition of Palestinian homes.”
Such US criticism of Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes is unprecedented.
The Israeli municipality in occupied #Jerusalem hands over a demolition order to the Palestinian family of Abu Khdeir. The family must self-demolish their four-storey house in 14 days or else they'd pay high demolition fees to the Israeli municipality. pic.twitter.com/p5SgspoCzK
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 8, 2021
Early on Thursday, the Israeli army demolished the home of Montaser Shalabi in the town of Turmus Ayya in Ramallah, the central occupied West Bank.
Shalabi, 44, who holds US citizenship, is accused of carrying out a May 2 shooting attack in which one illegal settler was killed and two were wounded.
Israeli forces arrested Shalabi on May 6 after a raid and search campaign that affected several Palestinian towns.
"They're erasing my past, my future. They're erasing my present."
— TRT World (@trtworld) July 4, 2021
This Palestinian family in Silwan explains how it feels to live with the constant fear of becoming homeless after receiving a demolition order from the Israeli authorities pic.twitter.com/lkUmFjbm1R
Shalabi’s wife – who had lived in the house with their children – has said she is estranged from Montaser, who spends most of his time in the US state of New Mexico, according to press reports.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
