Thursday, December 24, 2015

Natural Born Zionists 4

"Four months after settlers threw firebombs into the Dawabshe home as the family slept, the residents of Duma are struggling to face their loss. Rihab's brother Hassan, 31, unlocks the front door of the house that sits on the edge of town. An old olive tree still grows outside, untouched by the flames. The prognosis for 5-year-old Ahmad, who has burns to 60% of his body, is harrowing. 'The doctors tell us there will be skin grafts, plastic surgery and physiotherapy for at least the next 10 years,' Hassan says. The little boy has not been told that he is the sole survivor of the fire. 'Ahmad is the only thing keeping the family from falling apart,' Hassan says. 'We are afraid that the small progress he has made will be destroyed by the news.' Hassan's brother-in-law Nasser, a 42-year-old teacher, says the attack was one of many attempts to force Palestinians from their land. 'It has only made us more determined to seek our freedom and independence,' he says. 'The Netanyahu government supports these settlement groups all the way up to the most senior members of the cabinet,' he says. 'They are the ones who encourage terrorism against our people.'

"On December 3, the Shin Bet announced they had arrested 'several Israelis' in connection with the Duma attack. Fairfax Media contacted the Ministry of Defence and the office of the Defence Minister with a set of questions regarding the administrative detention of Evyatar Slonim and the investigation into the attack on the Dawabshe family. We did not receive a response by the time of publication."

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