JERUSALEM — Thirteen Jewish Israelis who celebrated the death of a Palestinian baby in a firebombing during a wedding, including the groom, have been indicted on charges of  incitement.

Five of the people charged on Wednesday at the Jerusalem Magistrate’s court are minors between the ages of 14 and 17.

The wedding took place in December 2015.  A video from the wedding first broadcast on Israel’s Channel 10 in the days after the ceremony shows friends of the suspected assailants in the July 2015 attack on a home in the Palestinian village of Duma that killed three members of the Dawabshe family — a toddler and his parents — stabbing a photo of Ali Dawabsheh, 18 months, and waving knives, rifles, pistols and Molotov cocktails. The revelers also chant the words to a song that includes a verse from Judges 16:28, in which Samson says, “Let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” The crowd substitutes “Palestinians” for Philistines.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Wedding singer Sinai Tor, who sang the inciting song, was among those indicted. The groom is Yakir Ashbal, 21,  who was described by Channel 10 as “well known in the radical right.” He has told Israeli media that he did not see the the activity captured on camera at his wedding.

An investigation was launched into the incident, even before the broadcast of the video on Dec. 23, by the Nationalistically Motivated Crimes Unit of the West Bank police.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount