Israel demolishes West Bank home after deadly Tell clash

Israeli forces demolished the occupied West Bank home of Farouq Ramadan on Tuesday after he died in a July 24 clash near the town of Tell that killed one Israeli settler, one Israeli soldier and four Palestinians.

Tell Mayor Walid Zaidan told AFP that the army blew up the apartment where Ramadan had lived with his wife and five daughters at about 8:15 a.m. He said about 30 Israeli military vehicles and engineering teams entered the village on Monday evening and evacuated residents from 30 nearby houses before the demolition.

AFP journalists saw army engineers set explosives and detonate the second-floor apartment after troops gathered in the area.

The Israeli army said troops demolished the house where what it called the terrorist who carried out the shooting had lived. Israeli army radio said the two-week timeline for the demolition was an unprecedented record time.

Israel routinely demolishes family homes of Palestinians it accuses of involvement in attacks, saying the policy deters violence. Critics say the practice amounts to collective punishment and leaves innocent relatives homeless.

Palestinians say villagers in Tell came under attack from settlers on July 24. Footage showed Ramadan seizing an Israeli's weapon during a clash with settlers, after which an emergency response team from a nearby settlement rushed to the scene and gunfire followed.

A military probe last week said the Israeli soldier was killed by Palestinian fire, but could not conclusively determine whether the settler was killed by Palestinian or friendly fire. Ramadan was killed in the exchange of gunfire, but it remained unclear who killed him.