(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Suspected Jewish settlers torched a Palestinian home in the occupied West Bank yesterday, killing an 18-month-old boy and seriously injuring his parents and elder brother, an act Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as terrorism.
The house in Duma, a village near the city of Nablus, had its windows smashed and fire bombs thrown inside shortly before dawn as the family slept, the military and witnesses said.
Graffiti in Hebrew reading "revenge" was scrawled outside, below a Star of David.
Toddler Ali Saad Dawabsha's parents and brother, 4, were flown by helicopter to an Israeli hospital where they were said to be in serious condition. A second house, which was empty, was also set ablaze.
It was the worst attack by Israeli assailants since a Palestinian teenager was burned to death in Jerusalem a year ago. That followed the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers by Palestinian militants in the West Bank.
The Israeli military boosted forces to search for the suspects, described by a spokesman as "two masked terrorists", and prevent any escalation in violence.
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas called for revenge.
Ibrahim Dawabsheh of Duma said he heard people shouting for help from the house and rushed to it.
"I saw two masked men outside," he said, adding he went to get help and when returned, they had gone. We found the parents outside with burns, they said there was another son inside. We brought him out and then they said there was another boy inside, but we couldn't reach the bedroom because of the fire. He was left inside until rescue forces arrived."
Hundreds marched at Ali's funeral procession, calling for retribution. "With our souls and blood we shall redeem you, martyr," they chanted as the flag-draped body was carried for burial.
After visiting Ali's brother at hospital, Netanyahu said he had phoned Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and said Israel was committed to finding the assailants. Abbas said he would submit the attack as evidence to International Criminal Court. "It is a war crime, a humanitarian crime," he told reporters.
His spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah held Israel responsible. Police said a special task-force was investigating the killing, along with Shin Bet security service.
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