December 16, 2002

Home Demolition

[Bethlehem, West Bank] During one of our curfew breaks, I visited the house of the Jerusalem suicide bomber from Bethlehem. The home was destroyed by the Israeli army shortly after they invaded. Problem is -- the building did not belong to the bomber. The bomber had recently relocated to Bethlehem from Hebron. He only stayed in the house for a month or two. The owner of the house is an elderly couple. The old man told me he was quite anxious to rent this simple building, since he really needed the money. Unfortunately his tenant later became a bomber. The man told me that now he thinks everyone around the world dislikes him for renting his home to a bomber, but he didn't know what the young man had in mind. So the elderly gentleman was doubly cursed -- (1) his house was blown up, and (2) now he doesn't get any rent income. To be honest, I felt sorry for the old guy. Was it his fault that his tenant was the bomber? I'd hate to think that landlords are responsible for the actions of their tenants. I don't think my landlord Z wants to be responsible for my actions. (Note to my sponsors: I stay out of trouble.) But in the occupied territories, laws are a bit unusual. Some international laws regarding human rights seem not to exist. It was clearly wrong to blow up the man's building. What had he done to deserve that? But this old man was not the only one punished for the actions of the suicide bomber. Everyone in Bethlehem was put under 24-hour curfew. We were all disciplined. This is called "collective punishment," and of course it is illegal by international law. The community is not to be punished for the actions of a single bomber.

The old couple was left with no building and no money.

AP Photo: This is the building being blown up.

Rubble of the demolition

The old man stands on the roof of the building.
The roof collapsed and crushed items in the room below.