The High Court of Justice annulled on Monday a directive to demolish the home of a Palestinian terrorist who took part in the murder of 19-year-old First Sgt. Dvir Sorek in August 2019.
In their majority decision, Justices Uzi Fogelman and Anat Baron wrote that the terrorist’s family, his wife and three children, did not know of his deeds, therefore, the punishment is not proportional.
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An IDF soldier watches a bulldozer about to demolish the home of a terrorist
(Photo: Courtesy)
Terrorist Mahmoud Attawone is charged with intended killing, for his involvement and complicity in the stabbing attack against Sorek - among other offenses.
Justice Baron explained her decision, saying “The passage of time results in disconnecting the ‘consciousness connection’ between the murder and the sanction against it, so that already at the time the demolition order was issued its deterrent power was in doubt, and in the absence of the deterrent effect the demolition order was a punishable action only, and as such, it was unreasonable and disproportionate."
Dvir Sorek was from the West Bank settlement of Ofra and served in a program combining IDF service and Yeshiva studies.
His body was discovered overnight on August 8, 2019, with multiple stab wounds approximately 30 to 40 yards outside Ofra's security gate.
First published: 22:34, 05.25.20