The widow of a murdered Rabbi has called for a deterrence policy after the house of a terrorist responsible for his death has been rebuilt eight months after the IDF destroyed it during a raid.
Ahmed Nassar Jarrar was head of the Palestinian terror cell responsible for the drive-by shooting of Rabbi Raziel Shevah last January.
Shevah was shot in the neck near his Havat Gilad home in the West Bank and pronounced dead at Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba.
The Havat Gilad settlement is in the process of being legalised.
Jarrar’s home in Burqin, close to Jenin, was demolished during a manhunt in February, but a demolition order was not officially issued.
There is no legislation to ensure demolished homes of terrorists are not rebuilt.
The Civil Administration began demolition procedures for the rebuilt house after hearing the news.
The IDF is looking into whether the reconstructed house can legally be destroyed.
An IDF spokesperson confirmed in a statement that the military had no ‘demolition order’ for the house of Jarrar during operational activity to locate the terrorist in February 2018.
Rabbi Shevah’s wife, Yael, is not surprised the terrorist’s house had been rebuilt.
“Unfortunately, this doesn’t surprise me,” she said. “As long as there is no permanent policy of deterrence against terrorists, this type of things will keep happening.
“We need deterrence, expulsion of terrorist families, house demolitions and much more.”
Matan Peleg, CEO of right-wing Im Tirtzu, which supports the Choosing Life forum for bereaved families, slammed the rebuild and IDF blunder.
“There is no greater absurdity than seeing a terrorist’s house being rebuilt without any obstacles,” he said. “This brazen audacity stems solely from Israel’s lack of deterrence when it comes to terrorism.
“If the house is not demolished within the next 24 hours, it’s going to pave way for more bloodshed. We must avoid it at all costs.”.
Shevah, a father of 6, worked as a shochet and mohel, also volunteered for Magen David Adom.
Shin Bet received intelligence Jarrar was hiding in the West Bank village of Yamun.
Counter terrorism troops from the Yamam unit opened fire when Jarrar exited a building armed with an M-16 assault rifle and explosives.