Second Duma house burns down in apparent electrical fire

Home belonging to relative of Dawabshe family goes up in flames; Palestinian officials say arson not suspected

By JTA 24 August 2015, 6:23 pm

Edit

Israeli security forces seen at a house in the Palestinian village of Duma, near Nablus, where a Palestinian infant was killed July 31, 2015, in an arson attack, apparently by Jewish extremists. Two homes in Duma, were set on fire, and the Hebrew words “revenge” and “long live king messiah” were spray-painted on their walls, alongside a Star of David. (Photo by FLASH90)

Palestinian security officials said that there is no evidence that a fire in a home in the West Bank Palestinian village of Duma was set by Jewish settlers.

The fire early on Monday morning sent three Palestinian residents to the hospital suffering smoke inhalation and damaged the home, the Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported.

The security officials said that they would not rule out any possibilities in assailants, however.

Palestinian Authority police said the fire could have been the result of an electrical problem, though Ma’an reported that unidentified assailants threw flammable material on the house. Israel Fire Services reportedly believe an electrical problem was at fault.

The house is owned by members of the extended Dawabshe family. Saad Dawabsha and his 18-month-old son Ali were killed last month when their home in Duma was firebombed in what is believed to be a nationalist attack by Jewish extremists. The Hebrew words “Revenge” and “Long live the king messiah” were spray-painted on walls at the site of that attack, alongside a Star of David.