Israel expands home demolition policy to include terrorists who injure, not just kill

In a major shift in Israel's counterterrorism policy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved a recommendation by the National Security Council (NSC) to expand the controversial practice of demolishing terrorists' homes. For the first time, this measure will now apply not only to attackers who have killed Israeli citizens, but also to those who have "only" injured them in serious terror incidents.

Until now, Israel’s policy limited home demolitions to perpetrators of deadly terror attacks. Terrorists who caused serious injuries, including critical and lifelong harm, were previously exempt from such punitive measures. However, following more than a year of deliberations and policy planning by the NSC, this restriction has been lifted.

The new directive calls for a case-by-case evaluation of each attack. Only incidents deemed serious and clearly motivated by terrorism will be considered for demolition. Once reviewed, orders will be subject to approval by both the military command and the political leadership.

This decision follows sustained lobbying from members of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, particularly MK Amit Halevi of the Likud party. A key turning point came during a special session held in cooperation with the advocacy group B'tsalmo, where committee members urged a policy change that would include terrorists who failed to kill but nonetheless inflicted significant harm on Israeli civilians.

The policy shift has already seen its first implementation. A demolition order was recently issued for the home of Jafar Mouna, a terrorist from Shechem (Nablus), responsible for a 2024 stabbing attack in Tel Aviv that left one Israeli moderately injured. Investigations revealed that Mouna’s attack was part of a broader Hamas-linked terror infrastructure operating from Turkey. Eight other suspects were arrested in connection with the plot.

Defense Minister Israel Katz has voiced his full support for the expanded demolition policy and instructed that the process be accelerated. Although legal concerns previously delayed its implementation, the government has now officially directed security forces to begin enforcing the new guidelines.

The move reflects a tougher stance by the Israeli government amid a continued rise in terror-related incidents, and aims to increase deterrence against future attacks—even those that do not result in fatalities.