Demolition of the homes near the site of a terrorist attack near Hebron in Judea began just hours after the shooting took place Friday, fulfilling Prime Minister Netanyahu’s promise to “destroy” the attackers’ neighborhood and take “extensive action” in Judea and Samaria.
Two Arab terrorists approached a military checkpoint near Hebron, sparking a 20-minute-long gun battle that left two Israeli soldiers dead and three wounded. The slain soldiers were identified as Staff Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, from Ashkelon, and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem, 20, from Hod Hasharon, who served in the 775th “Ari” Battalion of the Home Front Command’s Search and Rescue Brigade.
The IDF said it believed the terrorists had planned to carry out a mass-casualty attack on civilians, but realizing they would not be able to reach the highway because of the checkpoint, they decided to attack the military installation instead.
An AFP photographer was on hand to photograph the gunfight, prompting questions about his knowledge of the attack. The photojournalist denied having any foreknowledge and insisted he was just passing by.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ordered the demolition to proceed, saying that it included illegal structures near the site of the incident.
“Following the attack, I have ordered the immediate demolition of a wide row of illegal Arab structures adjacent to the attack site,” he said.
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