IDF signs demolition and confiscation order for Shuafat attacker

The IDF signed a confiscation and demolition order for the apartment of the Palestinian terrorist who killed Sgt. Noa Lazar in October.

The Head of the Homefront Command Maj.-Gen. Rafi Milo, signed the order for the apartment of Udai Tamimi in the Shuafat refugee camp next to the capital of Jerusalem.

Lazar, 18 years old from Bat Hefer, was killed after Tamimi opened fire on her and a group of security guards at point-blank range after casually exiting a car at the crossing. 

A 30-year-old security guard, David Morel was in serious condition with bullet wounds to the head and underwent surgery following the attack. He was released to Loewenstein Hospital Rehabilitation Center in Ra’anana in early November. 

Morel moved to Israel from Brazil in 2017 and joined the IDF as a lone soldier. He became a security guard following his release from the military.

A third soldier was lightly injured in the attack.

Ten days after the deadly attack at the crossing, Tamimi was killed while attempting to carry out a shooting attack near the city of Maale Adumim. He was shot dead by a security guard and a grenade was found on his body. It’s believed that he used the same gun during the second attack as the one used in the attack at the Shuafat checkpoint.

While some NGOs and human rights organizations criticize the army for using collective punishment by demolishing the homes of the terrorist’s families, the IDF believes they are a key deterrent to stop other potential attackers.

Seven homes were demolished by Israeli security forces over the past year.

Agreement between Kochavi and Border Police

Last month IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi came to an agreement with the Border Police commander Chief Amir Cohen to remove IDF soldiers belonging to the Erez Battalion of the Military Police from the Shuafat checkpoint.

The decision was made after Kohavi was presented with an investigation by the border police about the incident, at the end of which disciplinary measures and impeachment were carried out against border police officers for their responsibility for the incident, including the checkpoint commander and other officers, who will be discharged.

The investigation into the attack found several issues with the functioning of the troops and police officers stationed at the checkpoint and that allowing pedestrians to routinely be around to walk around the checkpoint area was a “severe error” that allowed the attack to take place.

“Border Police soldiers stationed there did not respond as expected,” the probe said.