Jerusalem ? As Israel moved to punish the relatives of Palestinian militants, the army tore down two family homes belonging to terror suspects, but the Supreme Court temporarily blocked plans to expel three siblings of alleged attackers to the Gaza Strip.

An Israeli military court on Monday ruled that the three Palestinians could be transported from the West Bank, where they have lived all their lives, to the Gaza Strip, where they have no family ties. The three have not been formally charged or convicted of a crime, but the army alleges they had knowledge and aided attacks their brothers carried out.

The court decision marked the first time a legal body ruled that Palestinians suspected of involvement in attacks could be expelled. The issue is an extremely sensitive one for Palestinians millions are refugees, and they have been seeking an independent state for decades.

However, Israeli Supreme Court Justice Dalia Dorner on Tuesday froze the expulsion orders for 15 days. During this period, the Israeli military must submit arguments on why it should be allowed to proceed with what it calls an “order limiting the place of residency.” A hearing is likely to take place near the end of the period.

In Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday that CIA Director George J. Tenet is resuming contact with Palestinian officials on a new security plan for the West Bank and getting ready to put it into operation.

The aim is to screen out suicide bombers whose deadly attacks on Israel have deepened Israel’s distrust of the Palestinian Authority. But whether a new plan would succeed where past ones have failed could be pivotal to any negotiations for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the West Bank and Gaza.

Powell said a meeting Tenet had Saturday with Abdel Razak Yehiyeh, the Arafat-appointed Palestinian interior minister, was very positive and productive. As a result, Powell said, he expected Tenet to be back in touch “and to start to operationalize it.”