An Organized Barbarity Called 'Demolishing Terrorists’ Homes' [View all]
Insisting on due process in cases of demolition of terrorists' houses obscures the fact that this practice has across-the-board support.
Hagai El-Ad Oct 29, 2015
The political and legal systems in Israel have in recent days been thrown into some turmoil by Supreme Court Justice Uzi Vogelman, who scheduled an emergency hearing on the demolition of the homes of the Palestinian families of the perpetrators of the attacks that killed Eitam and Naama Henkin, Malachi Rosenfeld and Danny Gonen – namely, the Hamed and Ghanem families from Silwad; the Kusa, Haj Hamad and Rizeq families from Nablus; and the Amar family from Qalandiyah – rather than sanctioning the demolitions without further ado.
The judge’s decision meant the demolitions were temporarily put off, thereby raising the ire of those who felt that the destruction of the Palestinian houses ought to have been carried out by now, and they voiced scathing criticism of the High Court of Justice.
Champions of the court leapt to its defense: While sharing the view that the demolitions are certainly merited, they firmly expressed their belief that such justice ought to be implemented only after a proper legal hearing. Truly, what would the civilized world come to if we don’t keep up such appearances?
While the two sides carry on battling one another – so-called extremists versus the law’s knights in shining armor – the heated debate conveniently obscures the fact that, ultimately, the organized barbarity called “demolishing terrorists’ homes” has across-the-board support among the Jewish population in Israel. This unanimity includes those who perceive themselves as soaring high up in the rarified plane of morality and justice: the justices of the High Court. Their rulings have enabled the demolition (or sealing) of over 1,600 Palestinian homes since 1987.
remainder: http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.683167
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