No order has been issued to demolish the house of the terrorist who murdered Eliyahu Kay, five weeks since the deadly shooting attack in the Old City of Jerusalem.
In response to an inquiry by Israel National News, the IDF claims that the responsibility for issuing the order lies with the Defense Ministry, while the ministry insists that the responsibility lies with the IDF.
In a letter sent from the chief of staff’s office to Shmuel Imergen, the father of Aharon Imergen who was seriously injured in the attack in which Eli Kay was killed, he was told that “the issue (demolition of the terrorist’s house, is not placed in the IDF’s area of responsibility.”
The reply letter from the Chief of Staff’s office was sent to Imergen after the latter sent a letter to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, the Chief of Staff’s Office and other security officials, demanding that he sign a demolition order for the terrorist’s home.
“Nearly a month ago, I appealed to you to demolish the house of the terrorist who murdered Eliyahu Kay and wounded Aharon Imergen,” he wrote through his lawyer, Michael Litwok. “Unfortunately, so far I have not received an answer.”
However, despite the IDF’s claims, when Israel National News contacted the Defense Ministry, the ministry simply replied: “Contact the IDF spokesperson.”
Fadi Abu Shkhaydam, a 42-year-old sheik and schoolteacher, lived in the Shuafat neighborhood of Jerusalem. Last month, he opened fire at Jews on their way to prayers at the Western Wall, killing Kay, a 26-year-old immigrant from South Africa, and wounding four others before he was shot dead by security forces.
The IDF’s policy in similar cases is to begin the procedure of demolishing the terrorist’s house quickly. For example, a day after the ,murder of Shai Ohayon in August of 2020, IDF forces had already mapped the terrorist’s house prior to its demolition.
The house of the terrorist who murdered Yehuda Guetta at the Tapuach Junction prior to its demolition occurred less than a day after Guetta’s death. The house of the terrorist who murdered Ori Ansbacher was also mapped in preparation for its demolition within 48 hours of her funeral, during the investigation of the attack.
