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Father of Palestinian baby killed by Jewish extremists dies of injuries

Two family members remain in critical condition.

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The situation in the West Bank worsens as a father that was injured in an arson attack committed by Jewish extremists dies of his injuries, political ties between Israel and Palestine are further strained.

Israeli settlers have carried out at least 120 attacks on Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank since the start of this year, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Many chanted and waved flags in support of Hamas, the militant group that runs Gaza, Palestinian political party Fatah and other groups.

A spokeswoman for Soroka hospital in Israel where Dawabsheh had been receiving treatment said he died early on Saturday. His body was transferred to Nablus hospital to undergo an autopsy before his burial.

Five young Israelis, including Meyer, were arrested last month in connection with the arson attack.

A protester burns tyres during clashes with Israeli troops following the funeral of Palestinian Saad Dawabsheh last week.

Authorities called the arson attack an act of “Jewish terrorism”, and Israel’s Security Cabinet approved the use of harsh measures to combat the trend, including administrative detention, which allows suspects to be held for lengthy periods without charge.

“Condemnation will do nothing”, he said.

Long unpunished, these activists are now in the viewfinder of the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, yet one of the most right-wing in Israel’s history.

The Israeli army usually conducts drills in the occupied West Bank, especially in the Jordan Valley, after forcefully displacing dozens of local Palestinian families due to the proximity of their homes to the training sites.

Israeli security forces have arrested several Israelis suspected of plotting violence against Palestinians.

Mohammed Dawabsha prays at his deceased son’s destroyed home in the West Bank a day after the man’s funeral. An Israeli woman was lightly wounded when a firebomb was lobbed at her vehicle.

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Police said that the alleged assailant, a Palestinian from the nearby village of Khirbet al-Misbah, died of a leg wound shortly after the attack. They are suspected of extremist activities, but the authorities have not indicated whether or not they were to blame for the death of the infant. “Soldiers on the ground in theory are obligated to protect both settlers and Palestinians”.

Dawabsheh during clashes at the entrance to Duma village near the West Bank city of Nablus