Israel Matzav

Terrorist's home has not been demolished

Earlier today, I asked how the parents of the despicable terrorist who murdered eight yeshiva students in cold blood at Merkaz HaRav on Thursday night even had a house at which they could set up a 'mourning tent' since an earlier report had indicated that the house had been razed. Tonight I got my answer. It hasn't been razed. But it damned well ought to be:

Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik (Kadima) said Monday that the house of Alaa Abu Dheim, the terrorist who killed eight students in the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva Thursday evening, should be demolished, Army Radio reported.

Itzik said there was no legal hindrance to such a move.

Itzik was visiting the yeshiva accompanied by rabbis teaching there and heard their views on the ramifications of last week's attack.

She then sat with the yeshiva's head, Rabbi Yaakov Shapira, who told her "it is not normal that the mourning tent still stands. In any other place in the world they would tear it down under such circumstances."

In response, Itzik said "it is not a moral question in any sense. Both the tent and the house should be destroyed. She added that she had turned to Attorney General Menahem Mazuz, asking him to examine the legal possibilities.

Meanwhile, the Almagor organization, representing families of terror victims, sent Prime Minister Ehud Olmert a statement saying that according to a legal examination conducted by the organization, demolishing the terrorist's house was allowed even while the man's family members were holders of Israeli ID cards.

Almagor said in a statement that the families of the slain students were planning a march on the family house on Thursday.

Forget the legalities. Just do it and worry about it later. By the time Yossi Beilin's attorney general finishes 'investigating' the 'mourning period' will be over and tearing down the 'tent' will be meaningless.

As to the families of the slain students, I wonder if the police will arrest them too.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:54 AM