UN calls on Israel to bring Palestinian family’s killers to justice

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — A senior United Nations official expressed concern Wednesday over Israel's failure to bring to justice those behind an arson attack that killed three members of a Palestinian family, including a baby.

The mother, father and the 18-month-old son of the Dawabsheh family died after their house in the village of Duma in the occupied West Bank was firebombed by suspected Jewish extremists in July.

The attacks led to widespread condemnation globally as well as by Israelis and Palestinians, but as yet no one has been charged for the killings.

Nickolay Mladenov, United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, said the lack of charges was troubling.

"Four months have passed since the arson attack against the Dawabsheh family," he said in a statement.

"I am concerned by the slow progress and call on the Israeli authorities to move swiftly in bringing the perpetrators of this terrible crime to justice."

Israeli news media reports in recent days have suggested a breakthrough in a case involving Jewish extremism is imminent, but a gag order has prevented details from being published.

The authorities have suggested that some of the suspects may be currently detained under Israel's administrative detention policy, which enables suspects to be held without trial for six-month renewable periods.

Palestinians often highlight the lack of arrests around the case as among the causes for a wave of violence that began on
October 1.

Violence since the start of October has left 103 dead on the Palestinian side, including an Arab Israeli, as well as 17 Israelis, an American and an Eritrean.

"Amidst the current escalation of violence, it is essential that all firmly and consistently reject terrorism and act decisively to stop hatred and incitement," Mladenov said.