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Palestinian President vows int'l legal action against Jewish arsonists

By Nojoud Al-Qassem

RAMALLAH, July 31 (KUNA) -- The Palestinian Authority vowed on Friday to retaliate for settlers' arson attack on a Palestinians' house that claimed life of a toddler by taking the case to international judicial quarters and bringing perpetrators to justice.
President Mahmoud Abbas, in a statement to journalists in Ramallah, venue of his headquarters, said, "What happened in Duma today adds to the record of crimes perpetrated by the Israeli settlers and government, for the latter is building settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem and encouraging these mobs to carry out such acts.
"Each day we wake up to a new crime, either a war crime or a crime against humanity. And as long as the settlements and occupation continue, such crimes will continue." Abbas confirmed that his authority is preparing a file about the latest crime, the unprovoked arson attack, for submission to the International Court of Justice, "and nothing will stop us from submitting a complaint there." The president charged that the Israeli Government and Army lacked desire to prevent the settlers from attacking the Palestinians and urged super powers, namely the United Stance, to take a clear stance against the latest attack.
A group of Jewish settlers attacked a house occupied by a Palestinian family in Duma, near Nablus, setting fire and scribbling racist terms on the house walls. The blaze killed a toddler inside the house while the two parents suffered injuries.
Referring to the international tribunal was declared earlier by the Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaina, who said "Verbal condemnation by the international community of such crimes is no longer acceptable and what's required are steps that lead to bringing the criminals to account and ending the occupation." He affirmed that referring the file about the deadly attack to the international court is intended to prosecute the attackers.
The presidential spokesman said this crime happened due to the Israeli government's settlement policy and protecting the settlers.
Earlier today, Head of the Duma town council Abdulsalam Duwabsheh told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that the settlers broke the house windows and hurled Molotov cocktails causing fire and the mentioned casualties. The settlers fled as soon as the fire started, said the Duwabsheh, adding that they scrawled racist slogans on the walls of the towns' houses.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the settlers' attack saying in remarks broadcast by Israeli radio, "Israel deals with terrorism with an iron fist regardless of perpetrators' identity," adding that he had ordered search for the culprits for prosecution.
The Palestinian government and several factions also denounced the fatal attack and blamed the Israeli authorities for failing to crack down on trouble-making settlers and said the bloody incident was result of Tel Aviv's policy to expand and build settlements.
Israel Radio also said the authorities were looking for the culprits.
Last year, a young Palestinian, named Mohammad Abu Khudair, lost his life after he was set afire by a group of Jewish settlers in Jerusalem. Palestinian-inhabited districts often witness settlers' attacks, targeting mosques, churches, houses and other properties. (end) ng.rk