The Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday plans to demolish the home of terrorist responsible for the deadly twin bombings in November.
Two Israeli civilians—Tedsha Tashuma, a 50-year-old father of six from Pisgat Ze’ev, and Aryeh Shechopek, 16, a Canadian-Israeli from Har Nof, Jerusalem—were killed in the Nov. 23 bus-stop bombings, and more than 20 people were wounded.
Eslam Froukh, 26, a Palestinian Authority resident of Kafr Aqab, was arrested in connection with the attacks on Nov. 29 following an “extensive” investigation.
While Froukh identifies with the Islamic State terrorist group and acted according to a Salafist-jihadist ideology, he planned the attacks on his own, over an extended period, according to Israeli authorities.
He constructed the explosive devices in a pit in the Binyamin region of Judea and Samaria, using instructions found online, according to police. Raw materials for additional devices were found in the pit, along with an improvised submachine gun. A ready-to-activate bomb was also found in Froukh’s possession at the time of his arrest.
המחבל ביצע ב-23 בנובמבר 2022, כ"ט בחשוון התשפ"ג, פיגוע בשני מוקדים בירושלים וניסיון פיגוע נוסף, כשהניח והפעיל מטעני חבלה בכניסה לעיר ובצומת רמות. כתוצאה מפיצוץ המטענים נרצחו אריה שצ'ופק ז"ל וטדסה טשומה ז"ל.
למשפחת המחבל ניתנה אפשרות להגיש השגה ביחס להריסה
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) February 20, 2023
Froukh’s family has been notified of the pending demolition and can choose to file a petition with the High Court of Justice objecting to the move, said the IDF on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces early on Thursday demolished the Hebron home of a PA Arab terrorist who killed Ronen Hanania and wounded three others near Kiryat Arba in October 2022.
Israeli troops and Border Police officers carried out the demolition of the home of Hamas member Muhammad al-Jabari, who was shot dead by security forces during the attack.
Israel is currently experiencing a wave of deadly Arab terrorism, including a Feb. 10 attack in Jerusalem’s Ramot neighborhood that claimed the lives of Yaakov Israel Paley, 6, his brother, Asher Menachem Paley, 8, and 20-year-old Alter Shlomo Lederman.
Three days later, Israeli soldier St.-Sgt. Asil Sawaed, 22, died from wounds sustained in a terrorist attack at a checkpoint to Shuafat in eastern Jerusalem.
And in late January, seven people were killed and several others were wounded in a terrorist shooting attack at a synagogue in Jerusalem’s Neve Yaakov neighborhood.
In response, Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved a series of counter-terrorism measures, including reinforcing Israel Police and Border Police units in Jerusalem and expanding operations against incitement and supporters of terrorism.
