Nine Suspected Jewish Extremists Arrested After Arson
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Israeli security forces arrested nine suspected Jewish extremists in two West Bank outposts, a day after the death of a Palestinian man whose home was firebombed more than a week ago.
Sa’ad Dawabsheh, 31, died Saturday morning, more than a week after his home in the Palestinian village of Duma was firebombed, killing his infant son. His wife, Reham, 27, remains on a respirator in critical condition, and his son Ahmed, four, was recently disconnected from a respirator and recognized the people around him, according to reports.
Hundreds attended Sa’ad Dawabsheh’s funeral on Saturday morning. Following the funeral, Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers clashed near the village. Palestinian demonstrators burned tires on the road near the village and threw rocks at the soldiers, who did not respond, according to reports.
“I express deep sorrow over the death of Sa’ad Dawabsheh.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement issued Saturday night. “When I visited family members in hospital last week, I promised that we would use all the tools at our disposal to apprehend the murderers and deal with them to the fullest extent of the law and this is what we are doing. meeting we made decisions to assist the fight against terrorism, including in regard to administrative detentions and advancing anti-terrorism legislation. We will not countenance terrorism of any kind.”
The Hamas terror organization called Sa’ad Dawabsheh a “Hamas son,” and vowed revenge.
The Palestinian Authority called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for the violence against West Bank Palestinians and for their protection.
On Sunday morning, the Shin Bet security service and the Israel Police arrested nine Israeli Jews in two West Bank outposts, as part of the investigation into the July 31 firebombing attack in Duma.
Two people were arrested at the Adei Ad outpost in the northern West Bank, located near Duma. Seven people also were arrested at the Baladim outpost near the Kochav Hashachar settlement in the northern West Bank.
Also on Sunday, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon issued administrative detention orders for two suspected Jewish extremists. Meir Ettinger and Evyatar Slonim, who were arrested last week, could remain in custody for up to six months without a hearing. A third suspected extremist, Mordechai Meyer already is under an administrative detention order, believed to have been involved in arson attacks on two churches.
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