Israeli Government's Reaction Following the 'Horrific' Murder of a Palestinian Child

Following a crime in a Palestinian village that Israel attributed to extremist settlers in the West Bank, the Israeli Prime Minister condemned the murder as a horrific crime and a 'full-blown terrorist incident.' He also promised to find the criminals and bring them to justice. Benjamin Netanyahu stated, 'I am shaken by this news' and added that 'Israel unequivocally and firmly condemns this vile crime.' He also expressed condolences to the family of the Palestinian Dawabsheh. Meanwhile, it was announced that Israeli security forces and police are conducting extensive searches among radical settlements around the crime scene. Extremist Jews set fire to the home of Palestinians in the village of 'Duma' in the southern outskirts of Nablus in the early hours of Friday, August 9. Israeli media quoted eyewitnesses stating that around 4 AM, several settlers were seen throwing Molotov cocktails at the Palestinian home. As a result of this attack, 'Ali Saad Dawabsheh,' a one-year-old infant from the family, burned to death, and the other members of the Dawabsheh family were transferred to hospitals in two Israeli cities. The condition of the parents and another child from the Dawabsheh family was reported to be critical; another child from their relatives who had slept over was only injured from smoke inhalation. On the wall of this house and several other locations in the village, it was written in Hebrew: 'The price of revenge.' 'The price of revenge' is a phrase that extremist Jews have left behind in similar attacks and killings. Whenever the Israeli government has sought to force extremist settlers to leave unauthorized homes established in Palestinian territories, residents of these settlements repeat actions known as 'the price of revenge.' In recent days, the Israeli government has been attempting to force radical settlers to leave two buildings in Palestinian areas for demolition. The settlers have resisted this intention of the Israeli government for several days and have ignored a ruling from the Israeli Supreme Court, but the fate of these buildings remains unclear. Meanwhile, the Israeli government has granted permits for further construction to appease the settlers. 'A specific and painful revenge will be taken from Israel.' Meanwhile, the burning of the Palestinian family and the murder of the infant have shaken Palestinian public opinion and their leaders. Leaders of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization stated that these crimes are a continuation of the behavior of a government that has emboldened the settlers in this way. According to Palestinian media, Saeb Erekat said that a government that continuously grants construction permits to Jews is complicit in these crimes. Erekat's reference is to new permits for the construction of hundreds of additional homes for settlers in recent days. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian leadership, also emphasized that the case of this crime will soon be submitted to the International Criminal Court. Hamas leaders also promised that a very hard and 'specific' revenge would be taken against Israel at the earliest appropriate time. Hamas also called on Palestinians to hold widespread protests on Friday in the West Bank and Gaza. Widespread alert in Israel due to fears of Palestinian reactions. Israeli media, quoting officials from the country, assess that this horrific murder will have severe repercussions for the country in the coming weeks and months and could even ignite a new intifada. According to Israeli media, police and security forces have been put on high alert, and the Israeli army held an emergency meeting early Friday. According to the Jerusalem Post, Benjamin Netanyahu also held an extraordinary meeting with military and police commanders on Friday morning. Fears of a strong Palestinian reaction following the funeral of the Palestinian infant have intensified, and many Israeli security forces gathered around Nablus on Friday afternoon. General Moshe Ya'alon, Israel's Defense Minister, also stated regarding the crime early Friday in the village of 'Duma' that the attack on the Palestinian family is a 'terrorist assault' and is condemned. Ya'alon said, 'This crime poses a serious threat to our lives alongside the Palestinians.' The Israeli police restricted the entry of Palestinian worshippers to Al-Aqsa Mosque hours after this incident due to fears of violent protests. Al-Aqsa has also been unrestful in recent days, as several extremist Jews, including Uri Ariel, a right-wing minister in Netanyahu's government, entered the Al-Aqsa compound under the pretext of praying on the Jewish religious day of 'Tisha B'Av.'