![Graffiti reading 'revenge' and 'long live Messiah' were left on the walls of the burnt houses [Photo: Rabbis for Human Rights]](https://globalvoicesonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/1cf2a5c9fef14a29aafb624e9dbac061_18.jpg)
Graffiti reading ‘revenge’ and ‘long live Messiah’ were left on the walls of the burnt houses [Photo: Rabbis for Human Rights Facebook Page [1]]
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 [2].
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 [3] 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 [4] nearby.
Members of the Dawabsheh family who were injured after after extremist settlers burned their home at dawn.
#Palestine [5] pic.twitter.com/FJsTMYEo1Z [6]
— Palestine Social (@PalestineSocial) July 31, 2015 [7]
Clothes of baby Ali Dawabsheh who was martyed after settlers burned his home in Douma village at dawn.
#Palestine [5] pic.twitter.com/7wj6Zmyt8m [8]
— Palestine Social (@PalestineSocial) July 31, 2015 [9]
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 [10] pic.twitter.com/Q16ZpMXdJO [11]
— Dima S. ديمة (@YasminWaQahwa) July 31, 2015 [12]
Photos of prayers and funeral for 18 month of Palestinian toddler Ali Dwabasha in #Duma [13], killed in arson attack pic.twitter.com/vEKQbumOBe [14]
— Joseph Willits (@josephwillits) July 31, 2015 [15]
#NOW [16]: While his parent struggle for their lives in hospital, baby Ali Saad Dawabsha, 1.5, is laid to rest in #Duma [13] pic.twitter.com/0OxtvizOao [17]
— Activestills (@activestills) July 31, 2015 [18]
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 [19] pic.twitter.com/yzUxjeRFCE [20]
— Joe Catron (@jncatron) July 31, 2015 [21]
Condemnations of #Duma [13] attack by those who label Palestinian babies a demographic threat are performances for outside consumption.
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) July 31, 2015 [22]
Israel's Justice Minister called Palestinian infants "little snakes" whose mothers should be exterminated: https://t.co/RJ32lO6mTy [23] #Duma [13]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) July 31, 2015 [24]
The tract by state sponsored Israeli rabbis authorizing the killing of Palestinian children: http://t.co/kms1K83J9N [25] #WasBurnedAlive [26] #Duma [13]
— Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) July 31, 2015 [27]
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 [28] on Palestinian civilians. There has been 120 attacks this year alone [29]. There were 340 arson attacks [30] 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 [31], up to 92.6% [32] 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%.