Army issues demolition order for home of Palestinian terror suspect
Manhunt continues for Ashraf Na’alowa, who has been on the run since killing Kim Levengrond Yehezkel and Ziv Hajbi last week
Israeli forces issued a demolition order on Monday for the home of Ashraf Na’alowa, the suspected terrorist in a shooting attack that killed two Israelis last week.
The order was served to his parents, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.
IDF troops are still searching for Na’alowa, 23, who has been on the run since killing Kim Levengrond Yehezkel and Ziv Hajbi at the factory in the Barkan Industrial Zone where he was employed. A third Israeli, Sara Vaturi, was wounded in the attack.
On Thursday, Na’alowa’s sister Fayrouz was arrested at her home in the West Bank city of Nablus in connection with the manhunt for her brother, the Shin Bet said. Fayrouz had previously been questioned by Israeli forces, but was released. Na’alowa’s brother was arrested the day after the attack.
The Shin Bet refused to say on what grounds Fayrouz had been arrested. Na’alowa’s mother and other sisters were also detained and brought in for questioning following the attack, but were later released.
Officials reportedly believe that Na’alowa, who is said to have left a suicide note before the attack, is preparing to engage troops when they close in on him in a firefight that could turn deadly.
Last Monday, the shooter’s relatives publicly appealed to Na’alowa on Israel Radio to turn himself in to the Israeli authorities.
A Palestinian security official has confirmed to The Times of Israel that Palestinian Authority security forces are assisting in the search for Na’alowa.
The military launched an investigation of the attack to determine, among other things, how the gun was smuggled into the industrial park and whether the terrorist intended to take Levengrond Yehezkel hostage, having used zip-ties to bind her hands.
Levengrond Yehezkel was a secretary while Hajbi worked in accounting at the Alon Group’s factory in the industrial park. Na’alowa was employed there as an electrician.
The army has said Na’alowa had no history of terrorist activities and was not tied to any terror groups, though several of them applauded his actions.
Israel says the practice of demolishing terrorists’ homes is an effective means of discouraging future attacks, though it has been criticized by human rights groups as a form of collective punishment and by some analysts as an ineffective deterrent measure.
Judah Ari Gross contributed to this report.
