Families of Henkin killers given home demolition notices

Israel overnight Wednesday notified the families of terrorists accused of murdering Eitam and Naama Henkin in a West Bank shooting attack earlier this month that their homes will be demolished in the coming days.

The families can appeal against the decision in court.

The Henkin couple were shot to death as they were traveling in their car near the West Bank settlement of Itamar. Their four small children – the oldest is 9 years old – were in the backseat and witnessed their murder but were uninjured.

The home demolition notices come two days after ministers okayed a package of proposals aimed to stamping out a wave of terror attacks, including expedited home demolitions as a punitive measure against families of attackers.

The shooting in which the Henkin couple were murdered was carried out by a Hamas cell in the West Bank, according to Israeli officials. In contrast, most attacks over the last two weeks have been carried out by lone East Jerusalemites armed with knives.

Other measures agreed to by the security cabinet of top ministers include revoking the residency status of attackers and stripping their families of welfare payments from the National Insurance Institute.

The practice of home demolitions against terrorists’ families has been criticized by outside groups, but government officials have defended its use as a deterrent against attacks.

Referring to the issue of home demolitions, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said during Wednesday’s cabinet meeting that “whoever feels mercy for the cruel is bound to eventually be cruel to the merciful. We must inflict upon terrorists and their families critical economic harm. Every terrorist should know before they hurt a Jew that his family will also be hurt. We must create a balance of deterrence against terrorists in the economic aspect as well.”

The security cabinet also approved Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan’s proposal that Israel not hand over to their families the bodies of terrorists killed during attacks.

Erdan suggested burying such terrorists in IDF cemeteries within Israel’s borders, where other terrorists have been buried in the past, thereby denying families the ability to visit the graves.

Erdan said terrorists should not be honored with admiration and ceremonies after carrying out attacks. “The families of terrorists turn their funerals into a demonstration of support for terrorism and incitement to murder. We must put an end to this,” he said.