Olmert wants Palestinian attacker's home destroyed: official

Occupied Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert wants the house of the Palestinian attacker who killed three Israelis in a bulldozer rampage on Wednesday should be destroyed, an Israeli government official said on Thursday.

Olmert told defence and justice chiefs he was "very worried" over Wednesday's attack and the fatal shootings of eight seminary students in March had been perpetrated by Palestinians from Arab East Jerusalem.

He called for a punishment that would prevent all further attacks, the official said.

"We must use a punishment that would deter. We have to act with a tough hand, to negate social rights, to immediately destroy the homes of every terrorist from Jerusalem," Olmert said, according to the official.

Israel halted demolishing homes of Palestinians who were involved in attacks against Israel in response to human rights groups' petitions.

But, defence and legal officials discussed the issue on Thursday.

Some 20 people live in the bulldozer driver's family home, relatives said.