Arabs open fire on IDF mapping terrorists’ home before demolition

IDF troops met with gunfire, widespread rioting, and explosives when attempting to map home of suspected terrorists for demolition.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Locals from the Arab town of Silat al-Harithiya, near Jenin, opened fire on Israeli troops early Monday morning, as soldiers attempted to map the home of suspected terrorists ahead of a demolition.

Two brothers, identified by Arab language news agency Ma’an as Ghaith and Omar Jaradat, are believed to have perpetrated last week’s deadly shooting attack near Homesh, shooting at a car of yeshiva students and fatally wounding 25-year-old Yehuda Dimentman.

The Shin Bet security agency identified the brothers as members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group.

The IDF entered the Jaradats’ hometown of Silat al-Harithiya in order to measure their family home before razing the structure, and Arab media reported that the family had been notified in advance and had already removed much of their furniture.

In a statement, the IDF said that troops had been met with widespread rioting and gunfire upon entering the municipality. Dozens threw improvised explosive devices, such as Molotov cocktails, and stones.

“During the [unrest], massive gunfire was directed at IDF soldiers, who returned fire,” the military said. No injuries were reported.

Social media footage from the scene showed dozens of young men shouting in the street near the Jaradat home, before shooting over a wall, presumably at IDF troops.

Israel demolishes the homes of terrorists as a punitive measure, a policy which has seen the Jewish State draw criticism from the Biden administration.

In July 2021, the IDF razed a house belonging to terrorist Muntasir Shalabi, who shot and killed yeshiva student Yehuda Guetta in April 2021 near Tapuach Junction in Samaria.

While the IDF regularly demolishes, or partially demolishes, the homes of Palestinian terrorists who have murdered Israeli citizens, Shalabi’s case drew international attention because of his status as a U.S. citizen.