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Israel indicts 2 in deadly arson attack on Palestinian home Israel indicts two in deadly arson attack on Palestinian home
(about 3 hours later)
JERUSALEM — Israeli prosecutors brought formal charges Sunday against two Jewish Israelis accused of killing three Palestinians, all members of one family, in an arson attack in July. JERUSALEM — Israeli prosecutors brought formal charges on Sunday against two Jewish Israelis accused of killing three Palestinians, all members of one family, in an arson attack in July.
Toddler Ali Dawabshe was burnt alive when firebombs were thrown at his home in the Palestinian village of Duma in the West Bank. His parents, Saad and Riham, died later from injuries suffered in the fire. Their second child, Ahmed, 4, survived but was left with burns on more than 60 percent of his body. Toddler Ali Dawabsha was burned alive when firebombs were thrown at his home in the Palestinian village of Duma, in the West Bank. His parents, Saad and Riham, died later from injuries suffered in the fire. Their second child, Ahmed, 4, survived but was left with burns on more than 60 percent of his body.
[Palestinian mother dies, leaving 4-year-old sole survivor of arson attack][Palestinian mother dies, leaving 4-year-old sole survivor of arson attack]
Israeli police said the two suspects, Amiram Ben-Uliel, 21, and a 17-year-old minor were part of a group of Jewish youths who have been involved in nationalistically motivated crimes against Palestinians and other minorities. Israeli police said the two suspects, Amiram Ben-Uliel, 21, and a 17-year-old minor, were part of a group of Jewish youths who have been involved in nationalistically motivated crimes against Palestinians and other minorities. Police said the young radicals also have burned and vandalized churches and targeted Christians.
The Israeli authorities have referred to their actions as Jewish terrorism, with leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, condemning the Duma attack. Israeli authorities have referred to their actions as Jewish terrorism, with leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, condemning the attack in Duma.
“We are against murder of any kind. We are against violence of any kind. We are against violations of the law wherever they occur. We are a state of law, and we will enforce the law throughout the state of Israel and vis-a-vis all citizens of Israel,” Netanyahu said during his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, referring to the Duma case. “We are against murder of any kind. We are against violence of any kind. We are against violations of the law wherever they occur. We are a state of law, and we will enforce the law throughout the state of Israel and vis-a-vis all citizens of Israel,” Netanyahu said Sunday during his weekly cabinet meeting, referring to the Duma case.
Relatives of the Dawabshe family, however, questioned why it took more than six months to bring chargesand why only two people were indicted. Relatives of the Dawabsha family have questioned why it took more than five months to bring charges and why only two people were indicted.
“We are questioning the capability and competence of Israeli law. Surely an attack like this must have involved a whole group of people?” Nasser Dawabshe, Saad Dawabshe’s brother, told The Washington Post. “We are questioning the capability and competence of Israeli law. Surely an attack like this must have involved a whole group of people?” Nasser Dawabsha, Saad Dawabsha’s brother, told The Washington Post.
“The Israeli justice system is now in the spotlight,” he said. “Either they will achieve justice or they will procrastinate, and if they procrastinate, this will encourage other settlers to do the same thing to others as they did to us.” “The Israeli justice system is now in the spotlight,” he said. “Either they will achieve justice or they will procrastinate. And if they procrastinate, this will encourage other settlers to do the same thing to others as what they did to us.”
[Fearful of Jewish settlers, Palestinians deploy night watchmen][Fearful of Jewish settlers, Palestinians deploy night watchmen]
According to the police indictment, Ben-Uliel and the second suspect met several times to plan the attack and even mapped the layout of the village. On the night of the attack, however, the minor involved allegedly did not show up and Ben-Uliel went alone to the village, lobbing two molotov cocktails at the Dawabshe home and another residence. He also spray-painted the words “revenge” and “long live the Messiah king” in Hebrew on the walls of the house. He later reenacted the crime for police, authorities said. According to the police indictment, Ben-Uliel and the second suspect met several times to plan the attack and even mapped the village. On the night of the attack, the minor involved allegedly did not show up and Ben-Uliel went alone to the village, lobbing two molotov cocktails at the Dawabsha home and another residence. He also spray-painted the words “revenge” and “long live the Messiah king” in Hebrew on the walls of the house. He later reenacted the crime for police, authorities said.
Several others also were indicted in a February arson attack on the Dormition Abbey in Jerusalem, the burning of a Palestinian taxi, as well as the slashing of tires of cars belonging to Palestinian residents in East Jerusalem. Several others were indicted in cases including a February arson attack on the Dormition Abbey in Jerusalem, the torching of a Palestinian taxi, and the slashing of tires on cars belonging to Palestinian residents in East Jerusalem.
Attorneys for the suspects said the authorities did not have enough evidence to convict their clients and accused the security establishment of using brutal and unorthodox investigation methods, including torturing the suspects and holding them for days without allowing them to meet with their legal counsels. Attorneys for the suspects in the Duma case said the authorities did not have enough evidence to convict their clients and accused the security establishment of using brutal and unorthodox investigation methods, including torturing the suspects and holding them for days without allowing them to meet with their legal counsel.
“This is a badge of shame for the rule of law in Israel,” said lawyer Hay Haber, a member of the legal aid organization Honenu. “The indictments filed to the court today were based on confessions taken using torture and violence.” “This is a badge of shame for the rule of law in Israel,” said attorney Hay Haber, a member of the legal aid organization Honenu. “The indictments filed to the court today were based on confessions taken using torture and violence.
“If that was not enough, the state has requested that the trial be kept under gag order, not allowing in cameras so that my clients will not expose what happened in the interrogation rooms,” he said.“If that was not enough, the state has requested that the trial be kept under gag order, not allowing in cameras so that my clients will not expose what happened in the interrogation rooms,” he said.
A second lawyer, Adi Keidar, said, “We might never know what really happened in Duma, but we want to make sure the public knows what happened in the interrogation rooms.” A second attorney, Adi Keidar, said, “We might never know what really happened in Duma, but we want to make sure the public knows what happened in the interrogation rooms.”
In a video released hours before their son was charged, Reuven and Nurit Ben-Uliel said they were shocked at the allegations against their son and believed him to be innocent.In a video released hours before their son was charged, Reuven and Nurit Ben-Uliel said they were shocked at the allegations against their son and believed him to be innocent.
“We hope that the court will expose the severe abuse he underwent during the weeks that he was interrogated,” the father said. “We want to stress that we are opposed to violence and attacks on people.”“We hope that the court will expose the severe abuse he underwent during the weeks that he was interrogated,” the father said. “We want to stress that we are opposed to violence and attacks on people.”
The Israeli government and legal establishment have rejected the claims of torture. Last week, Netanyahu said the security establishment had “acted in accordance with the government’s policy of fighting terrorism of any kind.” The Israeli government and legal establishment have rejected the claims of torture. Netanyahu said last week that the security establishment had “acted in accordance with the government’s policy of fighting terrorism of any kind.”
Sufian Taha contributed to this report.Sufian Taha contributed to this report.
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