Amnesty International condemns Israel's high court ruling authorizing collective punishment

Amnesty International condemned a decision of the Israeli High Court of Justice that will allow demolition, without the right to judicial review, of homes belonging to families of people who are believed to have carried out attacks against Israelis.

"This judgement gives a green light for collective punishment in the Occupied Territories," said the organization. "Destroying Palestinian homes to punish whole families for a crime committed by others, is a war crime," the international human rights-advocacy group said.

"Up until today, people whose houses have been demolished as collective punishment could at least appeal to the court. Now even this possibility is denied them."