Israel to demolish homes in Palestinian villages of Jerusalem attackers, impose sanctions

Wednesday, September 10, 2025 - Israel has ordered the demolition of homes in the West Bank hometowns of two Palestinian gunmen who opened fire at a Jerusalem bus stop, killing six people. Authorities also announced the revocation of work permits for hundreds of residents and relatives of the attackers.

The gunmen, from the towns of Qatanna and Qubeiba north of Jerusalem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, carried out the deadly attack on Monday at the outskirts of the city.

In a statement, Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had ordered sanctions on the attackers’ family members and residents of the two villages.

“Every structure that had been built without permits in the two towns would be demolished, and 750 people would have their permission revoked to work in Israel,” Katz stated. Work permits are a main source of income for many Palestinian families.

Israel argues that demolishing the homes of relatives of attackers serves as a deterrent to future assaults. However, Palestinians and human rights groups condemn the measure as a form of collective punishment, which they say is prohibited under international law