The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Thursday that it had destroyed the homes of two Palestinians accused of murdering Israeli yeshivah student Dvir Sorek in August.
Cousins Nasir and Qassem Asafra were arrested in August and later charged with murdering Sorek, who was on his way back to a Torah class in Migdal Oz after a trip to Jerusalem. Three others were also charged in connection with the murder.
Local residents in the village of Beit Kahel, near Hebron, threw rocks and tires at the soldiers carrying out the demolitions, according to the military.
Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said in response to the announcement of the demolitions that Israel must exact a “heavy price” from those who attack its citizens.
“Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that there will be no more terror, but we must exact a heavy price from anyone who raises a hand against an Israeli citizen,” said Bennett.
Bennett announced on Wednesday that Israel will no longer release the bodies of terrorists, regardless of which terror group the person belonged to, a move intended to increase deterrence against terrorist attacks.
However, Yoav Sorek, Dvir’s father, told Channel 13 the demolition should have taken place sooner, “when it could have strengthened deterrence and maybe stopped the next attack.”
