In the wake of the murderous terror wave in recent weeks, Israel had revoked the entry permits of over 1,000 Palestinians in Yehudah and Shomron who have family members who carried out a terror attack in Israel, senior Israeli security officials told the media on Tuesday.

The relatives will no longer be able to enter Israel for work, business purposes, medical treatment, or religious purposes.

A senior Israeli security official told military reporters that the revocation of entry permits to Israel is an effective tool aimed at deterring potential terrorists from carrying out attacks. Permits were revoked from even distant relatives of terrorists.

“We will not allow the family members of terrorists who have chosen the path of terrorism to enter the State of Israel for employment and trade,” he said. “Every Palestinian who considers the path of terrorism will know that the attack he is committing will critically harm his family.”

“Israel has a number of civilian tools for addressing security issues,” another official said. “The IDF does not use collective punishment lightly and is aware of the implications but collective punishment works.”

“In the past, we have found collective punishment to be very effective. During the wave of stabbing in 2015, such measures were the subject of much discussion among Palestinians, as pressure was put on families and on the Palestinian leadership. But it is a temporary measure and can not be long-lasting.”

The official said that Israeli security forces maintain ongoing cooperation with PA security agencies but these agencies have almost no power over the terror-infested Jenin area.

In the wake of the murderous terror attacks in recent months, 206 entry permits to Israel were revoked from the relatives of the Elad terrorists; 215 entry permits were revoked from relatives of the Ariel terrorists, 58 entry permits were revoked from the relatives of the Tel Aviv terrorist; 78 entry permits were revoked from the relatives of the Bnei Brak terrorist; 124 entry permits to Israel were revoked from relatives of the armed terrorist who tried to infiltrate a family’s home in Tekoa on Sunday, and 137 entry permits were rocked from family members of the terrorists who stabbed a Border Police officer in the neck, also on Sunday.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)