08/06 13:58
Israeli Court Rules Army Can Raze Palestinian Homes (Update1)
By Todd Zeranski

Jerusalem, Aug. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Israel's High Court of Justice ruled the military can demolish the family homes of Palestinian suspects tied to terrorist attacks, as troops destroyed the house of a family whose son Israel accused of masterminding a bombing, the Associated Press and Ha'aretz said.

The judges rejected a petition by 33 Palestinian families asking for 48 hours' notice before the demolitions so they could try to stop the razing with a court order, Ha'aretz and AP said.

The court accepted the Israeli government's argument that a delay could allow gunmen to ambush Israeli troops arriving at a targeted residence, a tactic tried before, Ha'aretz reported.

Israel has already destroyed nine Palestinian homes in the West Bank this week, reviving a practice abandoned several years ago, AP said. The tactic is part of a crackdown against Palestinians tied to attacks on Israelis.

Palestinian Labor Minister Ghassan Khatib said the practice violated international law and that the court was supporting collective punishment of ordinary Palestinians, Ha'aretz said. ``This is only going to deepen the hatred and consequently widen the cycle of violence,'' he said.

In the latest action in the conflict, Israeli helicopter gunships killed two Palestinian militants, including 23-year-old Ali Ajouri, who was wanted for planning a July 17 bombing in Tel Aviv that killed five people.

Israeli troops had recently demolished Ajouri's family home in the Askar refugee camp and ordered a brother and sister deported to the Gaza Strip, the Jerusalem Post reported. Also killed in the Israeli strike was Murat Marshut, 19. Ajouri and Marshut were members of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S.

The court ruling came amid an international debate over Israeli military actions aimed at preventing further attacks against its citizens. The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a non-binding resolution calling for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the West Bank.

U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte highlighted a spate of Palestinian attacks on Israeli citizens and said the resolution was ``out of step with the reality of events on the ground.''

The U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem may move some of its offices from the predominantly Arab eastern part of the city because of the safety concerns of employees and visitors, Ha'aretz reported, without citing anyone.