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Jewish Extremists Suspected in West Bank Arson That Killed Palestinian Toddler Jewish Arsonists Suspected in West Bank Attack That Killed Palestinian Toddler
(34 minutes later)
JERUSALEM — A Palestinian toddler died in an arson attack in the West Bank early Friday morning, according to the Israeli military, with Jewish extremists suspected because of Hebrew graffiti sprayed nearby. “Revenge!” was written on one wall, next to a Star of David.JERUSALEM — A Palestinian toddler died in an arson attack in the West Bank early Friday morning, according to the Israeli military, with Jewish extremists suspected because of Hebrew graffiti sprayed nearby. “Revenge!” was written on one wall, next to a Star of David.
Witnesses quoted by Ma’an, a Palestinian news agency, and Israeli news organizations said that Israeli settlers threw firebombs around 2 a.m. at two houses in the northern West Bank village of Duma, setting them ablaze. Palestinian officials identified the dead child, who was a year and a half old, as Ali Saad Dawabasha and said his parents, Sa’ad and Riham, and his 4-year-old brother Ahmad had been critically wounded. Witnesses quoted by Ma’an, a Palestinian news agency, and Israeli news organizations said that Israeli settlers threw firebombs around 2 a.m. at two houses in the northern West Bank village of Duma, setting them ablaze. Palestinian officials identified the dead child, who was 1½ years old, as Ali Saad Dawabasha, and they said his parents, Sa’ad and Riham, and his 4-year-old brother Ahmad had been critically wounded.
Israeli military officials said a total of four relatives, whom they did not identify, had been critically injured and were being transferred from a hospital in nearby Nablus to one in Israel.Israeli military officials said a total of four relatives, whom they did not identify, had been critically injured and were being transferred from a hospital in nearby Nablus to one in Israel.
“The atmosphere here is very grave. People are angry over what has happened, over what has brought upon this act,” Sakariya Shadeh, a human rights worker from a nearby village who was at the scene within hours, said on Army Radio. “The atmosphere here is very grave,” Sakariya Shadeh, a human rights worker from a nearby village who was at the scene within hours, said on Army Radio. “People are angry over what has happened, over what has brought upon this act.”
Ma’an quoted Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, as saying that the Israeli government was “completely responsible” for the deadly attack, in that it continued to build settlements considered illegal under international law across the occupied West Bank, and engaged in what he called “the protection of the settlers.” Ma’an quoted Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, as saying that the Israeli government was “completely responsible” for the deadly attack, in that it continued to build settlements considered illegal under international law across the occupied West Bank, and that it engaged in what he called “the protection of the settlers.”
Mr. Rudeineh said the arson, which he called “a crime of unspeakable cruelty,” would be “at the forefront of the files” the Palestinians plan to submit to the International Criminal Court accusing Israelis of war crimes, according to Ma’an.Mr. Rudeineh said the arson, which he called “a crime of unspeakable cruelty,” would be “at the forefront of the files” the Palestinians plan to submit to the International Criminal Court accusing Israelis of war crimes, according to Ma’an.
“The verbal condemnation of these crimes by the international community is no longer acceptable,” he added. “Practical steps are required to end these criminal attacks and to hold the criminals accountable for the attacks and to finally end the occupation.”“The verbal condemnation of these crimes by the international community is no longer acceptable,” he added. “Practical steps are required to end these criminal attacks and to hold the criminals accountable for the attacks and to finally end the occupation.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel called the attack “an act of terrorism in every respect.”
“The state of Israel takes a strong line against terrorism regardless of who the perpetrators are,” he said in a statement. “I have ordered the security forces to use all means at their disposal to apprehend the murderers and bring them to justice forthwith.”
The fire appeared to be the most severe recent case of what Israelis call “price tag” attacks, often vandalism of mosques or the uprooting of Palestinians’ olive trees, carried out by bands of settlers and other extremists, supposedly in retribution for Palestinian attacks on Jews.The fire appeared to be the most severe recent case of what Israelis call “price tag” attacks, often vandalism of mosques or the uprooting of Palestinians’ olive trees, carried out by bands of settlers and other extremists, supposedly in retribution for Palestinian attacks on Jews.
Hamas, the militant Palestinian movement, called for a “day of rage” in response to the attack and to continuing clashes around Al Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem. Hamas, the militant Palestinian movement, called for a “day of fury” in response to the attack and to continuing clashes around Al Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Duma, a village of perhaps 2,000 residents, is very close to Shilo, a settlement near which Malachi Rosenfeld, 26, was fatally shot by Palestinian militants a month ago while he and four friends were driving home from a basketball game. The military announced on July 19 that it had arrested several members of what it called a “Hamas terror cell” accused of Mr. Rosenfeld’s murder and another shooting two days earlier.Duma, a village of perhaps 2,000 residents, is very close to Shilo, a settlement near which Malachi Rosenfeld, 26, was fatally shot by Palestinian militants a month ago while he and four friends were driving home from a basketball game. The military announced on July 19 that it had arrested several members of what it called a “Hamas terror cell” accused of Mr. Rosenfeld’s murder and another shooting two days earlier.
Yinon Magal, a member of the Israeli Parliament from the pro-settler Jewish Home faction, was one of many across the political spectrum who criticized the arson attack in absolute terms. Noting that Thursday was the 30th day since Mr. Rosenfeld’s death, a significant mourning milestone for religious Jews, he said, “I suppose there is some sort of message here,” but he added: “This is not a Jewish act, this is not a moral act, this is a terrible act. We do not do such things. This is not our way.”Yinon Magal, a member of the Israeli Parliament from the pro-settler Jewish Home faction, was one of many across the political spectrum who criticized the arson attack in absolute terms. Noting that Thursday was the 30th day since Mr. Rosenfeld’s death, a significant mourning milestone for religious Jews, he said, “I suppose there is some sort of message here,” but he added: “This is not a Jewish act, this is not a moral act, this is a terrible act. We do not do such things. This is not our way.”
Mislim Dawabasha, 23, told Ma’an that he saw four settlers running away from the burning homes, one of which was empty, and that village residents had chased them toward the Maale Efraim settlement. Other witnesses also cited four men and said they were masked; another said she saw them smash the windows before tossing Molotov cocktails inside. Mislim Dawabasha, 23, told Ma’an that he saw four settlers running away from the burning homes, one of which was empty, and that residents of the village had chased them toward the Maale Efraim settlement. Other witnesses also cited four men and said they were masked; another said she saw them smash the windows before tossing firebombs inside.
Besides “revenge,” news sites showed pictures of black paint sprayed on a gray wall that read, in Hebrew, “Long live the Messiah king!” with a crown next to it.Besides “revenge,” news sites showed pictures of black paint sprayed on a gray wall that read, in Hebrew, “Long live the Messiah king!” with a crown next to it.
Condemnation was swift from all corners. The Israeli military issued a news release around 7 a.m. headlined “Terror attack in the Duma village,” using a term usually reserved for violence against Israelis. Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said it was nothing short of “a barbaric act of terrorism” and promised that “a comprehensive investigation is underway.”Condemnation was swift from all corners. The Israeli military issued a news release around 7 a.m. headlined “Terror attack in the Duma village,” using a term usually reserved for violence against Israelis. Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said it was nothing short of “a barbaric act of terrorism” and promised that “a comprehensive investigation is underway.”
Isaac Herzog, leader of Parliament’s center-left Zionist Union faction, said that “it makes you want to sit down and cry out a bitter cry like in a day of mourning.”Isaac Herzog, leader of Parliament’s center-left Zionist Union faction, said that “it makes you want to sit down and cry out a bitter cry like in a day of mourning.”
“Your soul cries out and cannot find solace — the murder of a child by Jews and the burning of a house is the murder of Abu Khdeir all over again,” Mr. Herzog said in a radio interview, referring to the abduction and murder a year ago of Muhammad Abu Khdeir, 16, in Jerusalem, a searing event for Israel. “The police must invest greater efforts and means in order to uproot this phenomenon altogether,” he said. “Your soul cries out and cannot find solace — the murder of a child by Jews and the burning of a house is the murder of Abu Khdeir all over again,” Mr. Herzog said in a radio interview, referring to the abduction and killing a year ago of Muhammad Abu Khdeir, 16, in Jerusalem, a searing event for Israel.
“The police must invest greater efforts and means in order to uproot this phenomenon altogether,” he said.