IDF to raze home of terrorist who killed Reuven Schmerling

The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday night gave notice that it will soon raze the West Bank home of one of the terrorists who murdered Reuven Schmerling in the Israeli Arab city of Kafr Qassem earlier this month.

The family of the killer, whose name was not released by the army, must evacuate the home or appeal the decision within the coming days.

In a statement earlier this month confirming the October 4 murder was a terror attack, the Shin Bet said it arrested two Palestinian suspects, both from the West Bank city of Qabatiya, in connection with the killing.

A court has imposed a gag order on publishing details of the investigation. The Shin Bet did not elaborate on the findings that led them to suspect terrorism due to the gag order.

The army did not confirm whether the murderer was being held in custody, and did not say whether the home of the other Palestinian suspect would also be demolished.

Schmerling was found dead earlier this month in Kafr Qassem’s industrial zone with “signs of violence” on the body, police said. Initial reports indicated he had been stabbed repeatedly. Schmerling was set to celebrate his 70th birthday the following day.

The father of four owned a coal business in Kafr Qassem, about a half-hour drive from the West Bank settlement of Elkana where he lived. His body was found in one of the business’s storage units by his son, who alerted police and emergency services.

Police and the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, opened a joint investigation into the murder, looking initially at possible motives including a work- or money-related dispute.

The practice of demolishing the family homes of terrorists has been criticized by nongovernmental groups, but Israeli officials have defended its use as a deterrent against future attacks.