Home demolition (illustrative)
Home demolition (illustrative)Kobi Gideon / Flash90

Two weeks after the fatal shooting of Eli Kay in the Old City of Jerusalem, Border Police assisted by the Home Front Command have mapped out the home of the terrorist who committed the attack. Fadi Abu Shkhaydam lived in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Shuafat and was a member of Hamas and reportedly the head of the organization’s armed wing in his neighborhood. He was shot dead by security forces after shooting Kay and wounding four others.

Mapping out a property is the preliminary stage to demolition in such cases.

Shai Glick, director of the Betsalmo organization, welcomed the development, adding, “I am only sorry that it took so long – but at the very least I hope and expect that a demolition order will be issued tonight and the house destroyed immediately after the period allowing an appeal to be lodged expires. Each additional minute that the house remains standing is a prize awarded for terrorism and an invitation to the next murderer to step forward.”

In the majority of similar cases, mapping the homes of terrorists happens shortly after the attack, even within a day or two, although the actual demolition is often delayed due to appeals lodged by the families of the terrorists or by others on their behalf.

In this particular case, Israel National News requested an explanation for the delay from the IDF, which responded that the Border Police is responsible for mapping a home within Jerusalem. The Border Police in turn claimed that the responsibility lies with the Shabak and the police; the Shabak denied being involved in the process; and the police stated that the IDF is the body which makes the decision on the demolition of a terrorist’s home.