Palestinian Baby Burned to Death in West Bank Settler Attack · Global Voices
Elia J. Ayoub

Graffiti reading ‘revenge’ and ‘long live Messiah’ were left on the walls of the burnt houses [Photo: Rabbis for Human Rights Facebook Page]
Eighteen-month-old Ali Dawabsheh was burned to death in his home in Duma village in the Occupied West Bank in a settler attack. His parents and four-year-old brother were also injured, with up to 75 per cent of their bodies burned, according to medics in neighboring Nablus, who spoke to Al Jazeera.
Their home was torched along with a neighbor's house by a group of settlers who left graffiti reading “revenge” and “long live Messiah” on the burned out walls. A local resident, Mesalem Daoubasah, told Haaretz he saw four settlers fleeing the scene with several local residents following them in pursuit. According to Daoubasah, the settlers fled toward the settlement of Ma'aleh Ephraim nearby.
Members of the Dawabsheh family who were injured after after extremist settlers burned their home at dawn.#Palestine pic.twitter.com/FJsTMYEo1Z
— Palestine Social (@PalestineSocial) July 31, 2015
Clothes of baby Ali Dawabsheh who was martyed after settlers burned his home in Douma village at dawn.#Palestine pic.twitter.com/7wj6Zmyt8m
— Palestine Social (@PalestineSocial) July 31, 2015
The toddler was enveloped in a shroud and his funeral drew large crowds of supporters:
The shrouded body of the burned baby Ali Dawabshe. It feels even too tragic say he is a martyr. Toddler. V. @QudsN pic.twitter.com/Q16ZpMXdJO
— Dima S. ديمة (@YasminWaQahwa) July 31, 2015
Photos of prayers and funeral for 18 month of Palestinian toddler Ali Dwabasha in #Duma, killed in arson attack pic.twitter.com/vEKQbumOBe
— Joseph Willits (@josephwillits) July 31, 2015
#NOW: While his parent struggle for their lives in hospital, baby Ali Saad Dawabsha, 1.5, is laid to rest in #Duma pic.twitter.com/0OxtvizOao
— Activestills (@activestills) July 31, 2015
While most Israeli mainstream politicians condemned the attack, activists were quick to point out that these very politicians (and established religious leaders) are part of the problem:
Reminder: Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked called Palestinian children "little snakes." http://t.co/unvNbiVPfn pic.twitter.com/yzUxjeRFCE
— Joe Catron (@jncatron) July 31, 2015
Condemnations of #Duma attack by those who label Palestinian babies a demographic threat are performances for outside consumption.
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) July 31, 2015
Israel's Justice Minister called Palestinian infants "little snakes" whose mothers should be exterminated: https://t.co/RJ32lO6mTy #Duma
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) July 31, 2015
The tract by state sponsored Israeli rabbis authorizing the killing of Palestinian children: http://t.co/kms1K83J9N #WasBurnedAlive #Duma
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) July 31, 2015
Pricetag attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank are very common. Between 2009 and the first half of 2012, there had been up to 995 attacks on Palestinian civilians. There has been 120 attacks this year alone. There were 340 arson attacks alone between 2004 and 2011.
Of these attacks, the overwhelming majority end up without prosecution by the Israeli occupation forces. According to Israeli NGO Yesh Din, up to 92.6% of Palestinian complaints are closed without further action due to “the inability of investigators to arrest suspects or to gather enough evidence to file an indictment.” Only 7.4% of complaints lead to indictments and only a third of these resulted in a conviction. In other words, the arrest of a suspect and his judgment is 1.8%.