Israel’s defense establishment knows who the perpetrators responsible for the arson attack in the Palestinian village of Duma are, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon asserted on Wednesday.
However, according to Haaretz, Yaalon told a closed meeting of Likud activists in Tel Aviv that the Defense Ministry has chosen not to take legal action yet in an effort to protect their sources.
The Dawabshe family home in Duma was set ablaze on July 31, instantly killing 18-month-old Ali and seriously injuring his mother, father and four-year-old brother. His father, Sa’ad, and mother, Riham, later passed away as well.
The words “Vengeance” and “long live the Messiah” were found spray painted on the burnt Dawabshe home. The Hebrew graffiti led the IDF to quickly proclaim the attack an act of “Jewish terrorism.”
At Yaalon’s request after the attack, the security cabinet approved the use of administrative detention against so-called “Jewish terrorists.”
Three Jewish suspects were administratively arrested in August and are currently being held without trial: Meir Ettinger, Evyatar Slonim and Mordechai Meir.
According to Haaretz, both Meir and Slonim are accused of involvement in past arsons against Palestinian structures, while Ettinger, claims the Israel Security Agency, has often encouraged terrorist activity.
None of these individuals, however, have been been explicitly linked to the arson of the Dawabshe home.