Lieberman urges AG to demolish Jerusalem terrorist's house
In letter also written to security leaders, defense minister tells Mandelblit that decision not to demolish house of Abd al-Rahman Bani Fadel who murdered Adiel Kolman due to terrorist's alleged mental illness, will damage Israel's deterrence and encourage future attacks.
The decision not to demolish the house was made after the terrorist’s family managed to prove that he had suffered from a mental illness.
In his letter to the legal advisor, Lieberman wrote that the terrorist’s mental state at the time of the murder cannot be established due to his death.
"In was decided not to demolish the terrorist's house based on medical documents that indicate the terrorist's psychological history and uncertainty over his mental state at the time of the murder, which will never be solved due to his death during the incident,” the defense minister wrote.
“While the terrorist's family claims he was mentally ill, it simultaneously cheers and glorifies his name as a martyr in the media and social networks," he vented.
Lieberman's letter was also sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, to Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and to the head of the National Security Council, Meir Ben-Shabbat.
"I fear that if potential terrorists see the family’s house not being demolished due to a medical history—which will never be unequivocally proven—our deterrence will be damaged,” the defense minister continued.
"From now on, every murderer's family will try to claim the terrorist’s insanity at the time of the murder in order to avoid the destruction of their home," said the letter to Mandelblit.
"I therefore request that you reconsider the legal policy regarding decisions not to demolish the homes of terrorists, who are alleged to have had a history of mental problems. This kind of policy encourages the families to falsely claim insanity, to delay the implementation of the demolition, and to seriously impair deterrence," he concluded.
Earlier this month Adiel’s family was informed that the IDF has decided not to demolish the house of terrorist Abd al-Rahman Bani Fadel.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit issued a statement saying, "It has been decided not to demolish the home following a thorough examination of the claims made by the terrorist's family regarding his mental state and after reviewing the relevant documents presented."
Kolman's family, however, disputes the conclusion that Fadel carried out the attack due to his mental problems while pointing out that Fadel’s family had expressed support for the stabbing that in Jerusalem’s Old City by the 28-year-old terrorist. Hamas, Kolman's family noted, had also offered Fadel's family support.
