The Palestinian embassy in South Africa says it is angered by yesterday’s Israeli attack in the Palestinian village of Douna near Nablus which resulted in the death of an 18 month old Palestinian child, Ali Saad Dawabsha. The baby’s mother Reham together with 4 year old brother Ahmad were burned on 90 percent of their bodies while the baby’s father Sa’ad Dawabsha suffered 70% burn injuries.

According to police reports, Israeli settlers threw a firebomb through the window of the Dawabsha home while the family were asleep.

“The Embassy of Palestine extends its sincere condolences to the Dawabsha family,” said spokesperson Tamer Al Masri

In recent months there has been increasing attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian churches, mosques and other sites of worship. In June of this year the Church of Multiplication of Loaves and Fish near the Sea of Galilee in Palestine-Israel was attacked by 16 Israeli Settlers. The church is on the site Christians believe Jesus Christ performed the biblical miracle of feeding 5000 people with five loaves and two fish. Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian sites of worship are now extending to Palestinian civilian homes, at their most vulnerable moments, at night, in their sleep.

‘Israeli impunity’

Various international human rights organisations have condemned the way in which Israeli settlers guilty of attacks on Palestinian sites of worship and civilians are treated with impunity by the Israeli government.

“We concur with the Palestinian Liberation Organisation that yesterday’s attacks “is a direct consequence of decades of impunity given by the Israeli government to [Israeli] settler terrorism,” added BDS South Africa.

“The Israelis who were responsible for the death of Ali Saad Dawabsha and attack on the family must be brought to justice and face the fullest might of the law. In addition, the Israeli government must be held accountable for the impunity that is provided to Israeli settlers who carry out these gruesome attacks on the Palestinian people.”

“We must hold both the Israeli settlers and Israeli government accountable for its crimes against the Palestinian people through all legal means available including taking Israel to the International Criminal Court and through isolation methods similar to how Apartheid South Africa was held accountable in the 1980s for its attacks on the South African people.”

Act of terrorism

In a statement, the Claremont Main Road Mosque (CMRM) described the attack as “barbaric”.

“This heinous and cowardly attack against innocent civilians is nothing short of an act of terrorism. The Israeli government should take full responsibility for the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestinian land and for the protection of Israeli settlers that serves as a breeding ground for such barbarous acts of inhumanity,” said Imam Rashied Omar.

According to the UN at least 120 attacks by Israeli settlers have been documented in the occupied West Bank since the start of 2015.

“We once again call on the international community to hold Israel to account for its illegal occupation of Palestine and for the atrocities committed against the people of the West Bank and Gaza. We call on all conscientious citizens of the world to promote the campaign to Boycott, Divest and impose Sanctions on the Zionist State of Israel,” urged Omar.

“In particular, we call on our South African government to sever all diplomatic and trade ties with the racist Zionist State of Israel.” VOC