Itongadol.- Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon revealed Thursday afternoon that security services have arrested several Jewish suspects over the murder of a Arab family in the Palestinian village of Duma last month.
However, while he did not reveal their identities, Yaalon said the suspects are not at all connected to Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria – or even to the so-called "Price Tag" movement.
"We are convinced that the attack was carried out by Jews," Yaalon said, echoing comments he made earlier Thursday. "We are talking about an extremist group who decided to ignite the region, with the intention of taking lives."
"These are people who are not connected to \’price tag\’ activities," he added. "We have carried out no small number of administrative detentions in order to not reveal intelligence sources. We are not yet issuing indictments."
Administrative detention, a relic from the British mandate period usually reserved for Palestinian terrorists, allows for the detention of individuals considered as dangerous for an unlimited period without pressing charges. In the aftermath of the Duma arson in July, three right-wing activists were placed under administrative detention over suspected "price tag" and other extremist activities. But based on Yaalon\’s comments, it appears they are unconnected to the terrorist cell in question.
The firebombing attack on the Dawabshe family home in July killed 18-month-old Ali and fatally wounded his parents. In addition to hurling molotov cocktails, the attackers also daubed the words "Revenge" and "Long Live King Messiah" in Hebrew on the wall of the house.
Father Sa\’ad Dawabshe succumbed to his wounds on August 8, while hospitalized at Soroka Medical Center in Be\’er Sheva with burns on 80 percent of his body. Ali\’s mother, Riham Dawabshe, suffered burns on 90 percent of her body in the arson, and passed away nearly one month later at Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer. Their four-year-old son Ahmad is still hospitalized at Sheba hospital in serious condition, but has been making a steady recovery.
Yaalon\’s statements will largely put to rest both criticism of security services for not tracking down the suspects, as well as speculation in some corners that the deadly arson was the result of an internal Palestinian feud.