A one-and-a-half year-old baby was burned to death and three of his family members were seriously hurt late last night after their house was firebombed by settlers in the village of Douma, near Nablus.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack as a “horrific, heinous” crime that is “a terror attack in every respect.”
The Hebrew for "revenge" and "long live the king Messiah" alongside a Star of David were spray-painted on the walls of the house.
The mother of the baby and his four-year-old brother were in a critical condition.
"This attack against Palestinian civilians is a barbaric act of terrorism," IDF Spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner tweeted soon after the attack. Forces are searching the area in attempt to find the perpetrators.
According to eyewitnesses, the father was able to rescue his wife and 4-year-old, but did not see the baby due to the lack of electricity.
In the UK, the chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council, Sir Mick Davis, condemned the attack, calling it a "terrorist atrocity".
He said: "The murder of 18-month-old Ali Saad Daobasa is a tragedy and an affront to our values as Jews and as human beings. Israel’s leaders from across the political spectrum have condemned this crime and the authorities must act swiftly and decisively to bring the perpetrators to justice. Extremism and hatred must be rigorously opposed. While extremists seek to fan flames of tension and conflict, we hope and pray for calm.”
The Board of Deputies also strongly condemned the attack. In a tweet, Board senior vice president Richard Verber describe it as a "vile act of terrorism".
Paul Charney,chairman of the Zionist Federation said:"The ZF joins its voice to all those across the Israeli political spectrum who have unequivocally condemned the appalling act of terror in Duma earlier this morning. That this crime has resulted in the death of a child only makes it all the more heart-breaking. There can be no excuse for such actions, and we fully expect Israel to bring those responsible to justice."
