An 18-month-old child has been killed in a house fire believed to have been set by Jewish extremists in the West Bank. The child’s parents and brother were also injured in the fire.
Palestinian security officials said Friday that a house fire likely started by Israeli settlers in the West Bank had killed the 18-month-old. The house was destroyed and the other victims were taken to hospital.
The fire was set at the entrance to a Palestinian village called Doma, near Bablus. Hebrew graffiti was found at the scene, leading authorities to the conclusion that the blaze had been started by Jewish extremists.
A statement from Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon condemned the fire as an “act of terrorism”.
“The fire and the murder of the Palestinian toddler is an act of terrorism,” Yaalon said. “We will not allow terrorists to take the lives of Palestinians.”
Clashes between Israeli settlers in the West Bank and Palestinians living in the occupied territory are not uncommon, although deaths are rare.
Attacks by Jewish extremists against Arabs are known as “price tag” violence, which refers to nationally-motivated hate crimes.
The issue of expanding Israeli settlement in the West Bank has been a major factor of unrest between Israelis and Palestinians for years.
mz/jil (AP, AFP, Reuters)
