IN THE MEDIA

Letter to The Age/SMH: Home demolitions

Dec 8, 2014 | Jamie Hyams

Submitted for publication on December 2, 2014.

 

In Australia, a major purpose for imposing lengthy jail terms is to deter would-be criminals. But what if the would-be perpetrator intended to die in their attack, in the belief that they would go straight to paradise? What if they murdered in the knowledge they would become a hero in their community, they may even have streets named after them, and their family would be exceedingly generously compensated for their loss?

This is the dilemma confronting Israel once again with the recent wave of brutal terror attacks, and the reason it has recommenced demolishing the family houses of the terrorists responsible.

Ruth Pollard (“Home demolitions wreak vengeance“, November 29), claims these contravene international law against collective punishment, but Israel argues that as a deterrent measure, they can not properly be characterised as punishment, and also that they are a military necessity to save lives and, as such, are legal. They are regarded as legal by Israel’s Supreme Court.

Pollard makes out that there is a double standard when similar crimes are commited by Israelis. She cites the Israeli response to incidents where a Palestinian girl was killed in a hit and run by an Israeli settler, and the barbaric kidnapping and murder of a Palestinian boy by Israelis. However, this is not true. Israeli police concluded the hit and run was an accident, and the Israeli murder suspects are in prison awaiting trial.

Jamie Hyams
Senior Policy Analyst
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council

 

Tags:

RELATED ARTICLES


A room in Herod the Great's palace near Jericho (image: Flickr/Ian Scott)

Is UNESCO Going to Erase Jewish History From Another Israeli City?

Sep 11, 2023 | Featured, Fresh AIR, In the media
Iran Protests (52383779726)

Australia must do more about Iran

Aug 25, 2023 | Featured, Fresh AIR, In the media
Image: Shutterstock

Australia’s government has taken an anti-Israel stance

Aug 16, 2023 | Featured, In the media
Image: Shutterstock

Labor’s Israel shift is a blow to peace and our credibility

Aug 15, 2023 | Featured, In the media
Image: Shutterstock

Ill-conceived posturing on Palestine is undermining Australia’s reputation as a trusted peace broker

Aug 14, 2023 | Featured, In the media
Israel and Palestinian territory divided by the security wall (Image: Shutterstock)

Australia’s Middle East decision ill-conceived

Aug 10, 2023 | Featured, In the media

SIGN UP FOR AIJAC EMAILS

RECENT POSTS

Israeli tanks in the Sinai Desert, 1973 (Image: Public domain)

From 1973 to Israel’s next war

Image001

The Last Word: Jeremy Jones – In Memoriam

Clinton appreciated Netanyahu’s political skills, but the two were divided over some key policy issues, leading to a tense relationship (Image: Shutterstock)

Essay: Bibi’s seven presidents

Destined to be an iconic landmark: The new National Library of Israel (Image: Herzog & De Meuron/ National Library of Israel/ Twitter)

Biblio File: Unique monument for the “People of the Book”

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah (Image: Shutterstock)

Deconstruction Zone: US outreach vs. Iranian aggression

Israeli tanks in the Sinai Desert, 1973 (Image: Public domain)

From 1973 to Israel’s next war

Image001

The Last Word: Jeremy Jones – In Memoriam

Clinton appreciated Netanyahu’s political skills, but the two were divided over some key policy issues, leading to a tense relationship (Image: Shutterstock)

Essay: Bibi’s seven presidents

Destined to be an iconic landmark: The new National Library of Israel (Image: Herzog & De Meuron/ National Library of Israel/ Twitter)

Biblio File: Unique monument for the “People of the Book”

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah (Image: Shutterstock)

Deconstruction Zone: US outreach vs. Iranian aggression

SORT BY TOPICS