Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made good of his promise to demolish the home of the Palestinian youth who is accused of stabbing a Jewish woman to death. Hours after his pronouncement, Israeli troops levelled the house of suspected terrorist Morad Bader Abdullah Adais. The move is part of the Israeli policy of destroying the homes of terrorists as a form of deterrent.
"The hatred that caused this murder has an address," Netanyahu said in an earlier Al Arabiya report. "We are going to destroy the terrorist's house."
Netanyahu also vowed to revoke the work permits of Adais' family when he visited Otniel, the scene of the attack. Adais is alleged to have stabbed Dafna Meir at her home in front of three of her six children. The eldest child gave the security forces the description of the attacker, which led to Adais' capture at Beit Amra, 3 km away from Othniel, the Times of Israel reported.
Adais' relatives maintain that he is innocent. "Dozens of soldiers came at 2:00 a.m. to the family home, searching it extensively and arresting him," Khader Adeesh said in the Hurriyet Daily News report. "He was not involved. He has no relationship with this attack. He is a young boy and couldn't do that."
Palestinian knife attacks have escalated in Israel since October, which some blame on the Palestinian frustration on the peace process and the West Bank settlement. Hours after the Othniel attack, a pregnant woman was also stabbed in Tekoa, south of Jerusalem. Her 17-year old attacker was shot by security forces, Al Arabiya reported.
