UN envoy expresses concern as Jewish terror attack remains unresolved

A UN official voiced his concern on Wednesday due to the standstill in the investigation of an arson attack that killed three Palestinian family members in July.

Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Process, said it is "essential" that Israeli security forces decipher the affair and bring those responsible to justice.

"Four months have passed since the arson attack against the Dawabsheh family in the village of Duma on July 31, a tragedy that has angered Palestinians and shocked Israelis," Mladenov said in a statement sent by his Jerusalem office.

The UN official stressed the importance of the matter amid the two-month wave of violence, in which 19 Israelis and more than 100 Palestinians were killed, saying it is "essential" that both Israelis and Palestinians "firmly and consistently reject terrorism", and put an end to "hatred and incitement".

Jewish extremists set fire to the Dawabsheh family home in Duma on July 31, killing 18-month-old baby Ali and seriously injuring his parents, who died several days after the attack. Security forces have yet to arrest any suspects.

A surviving family member, four-year-old Ahmed, is still hospitalized at the Sheba Medical Center in central Israel.

Bentzi Sau, Israeli acting police commissioner, told the Ha'aretz daily in an interview he is "very confident" that the Dawabsheh case will be resolved, adding the case is in "very high priority" for the police.

Sau said the police has increased efforts to prevent Jewish acts of terror, also known as "price tag" attacks, which target Palestinians and their property, as well mosques and churches. Endit