(JTA) — The Israeli government issued demolition orders to the families of the two Palestinians who committed the deadly terrorist attack on a Jerusalem synagogue.
Security officials sent the notices to the families of Said Abu Jamal and Ghassan Abu, the eastern Jerusalem cousins responsible for Tuesday’s attack on the Bnei Torah Kehilat Yaakov synagogue in the Har Nof neighborhood that killed five.
Demolition orders also were sent to the families of Ibrahim Akkari, who rammed his car into pedestrians earlier this month, killing two, and Muataz Hijazi, the gunman who shot Temple Mount activist Yehuda Glick last month.
All the families were given 48 hours to protest the decisions.
The demolition orders were given a day after the Israel Defense Forces razed the home of Abdelrahman Al-Shaludi, who killed two when he drove his vehicle into a light rail station last month.
Israel’s policy of demolishing homes has drawn international criticism and was largely suspended in 2005 after an army committee reported that it had little deterrent effect. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed a return to the practice if attacks continue.
“We have nothing against the residents of eastern Jerusalem, but we will not tolerate attacks on our citizens and we will act against those who do these things and against those engaged in incitement,” Netanyahu said, according to a statement. “With a determined and vigorous hand, we will restore security to Jerusalem.”
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