Defense Minister was responding to report that authorities haven’t made arrests in attack that killed three members of a Palestinian family by Jewish Nazi gang in order not to reveal intel sources.
Ha’aretz
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon confirmed on Thursday that Israel believes it knows who is behind the July arson attack that killed three members of a Palestinian family, but said the perpetrators haven’t been arrested yet because there is “difficulty in putting them on trial.” WHY WHY ?
Ya’alon was responding to Haaretz’s report that Israeli authorities know who the perpetrators are, but that no arrests have been made to avoid revealing intelligence sources in court.
Ya’alon made the remarks about the deadly attack on the Dawabshe family home in Duma, the West Bank on Wednesday to a closed meeting of young Likud activists in Tel Aviv.
Speaking to military correspondents on Thursday, Ya’alon said the defense establishment “believes they know who carried out the terrorist attack, but there is difficulty in putting them on trial. I hope that we’ll find the evidence necessary in order to bring the perpetrator of this heinous attack to justice.”
The defense minister also noted that the perpetrators belong to a group of Jewish extremists that intended to increase tension in the West Bank. Therefore, said Ya’alon, the decision was made to put Jewish suspects in administrative detention, in order to prevent future attacks.
The Dawabsheh family’s home was torched on July 31, immediately burning to death 18-month-old Ali and critically wounding his mother, father and brother. His mother, Reham, and his father, Sa’ad, have since died as well. His four-year-old brother Ahmed is still hospitalized in serious condition.
The words “vengeance” and “long live the Messiah” were spray painted on the torched home, and an empty house nearby was set ablaze as well. An eyewitness reported seeing four men fleeing the scene toward the settlement of Ma’aleh Ephraim.
The IDF described the incident as “Jewish terrorism.” At Ya’alon’s request following the attack, the political-security cabinet approved the use of administrative detention against suspected Jewish terrorists. Such practice is commonly used against Palestinians suspected of terror activities.
Three Jewish suspects are currently being held without trial for terrorist activities: Meir Ettinger, who according to the Shin Bet headed an extreme rightist organization intent on toppling the Israeli government though violent means, and encouraged others to carry out terrorist acts; Mordechai Meyer, the alleged arsonist behind a fire at Dormition Abbey in Jerusalem; and Eviatar Slonim, accused of setting fire to a home in the Palestinian town of Khirbet Abu Falah. None of these names has been explicitly tied publicly to the attack on the Dawabsheh family home in Duma.
