Israel releases Jewish settlers arrested over firebomb attack

Nearly a dozen Jewish settlers arrested Sunday for suspected involvement in a firebomb attack in a Palestinian village were released on Monday, a spokesperson for the Shin Bet Security Agency confirmed to Xinhua.

The Israeli police along with the Shin Bet security Agency cooperate in a raid, which took place overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

Although at first it was said that seven suspects were arrested, the Shin Bet Security Agency spokesperson would not commit to an exact number of suspects arrested, but said all those who were arrested early Sunday were released.

A police spokesperson told Xinhua on Sunday that the arrest were carried out as part of the investigation of the Duma village attack. No more information about the arrests and the investigation was given by the police nor by the Shin Bet Security services.

The raid took place in Jewish outposts like Adei Ad and Kochav Hashachar in The West Bank, surrounding the Palestinian village of Duma, where a firebomb attack by Jewish extremists claimed the lives of an 18-month-old baby, Ali Dawabsha and his father Sa'ad on July 31.

The mother of the family and Ali's brother are still hospitalized in Israeli hospitals in serious and moderate conditions, respectively.

Following the July 31 attack on the Duma house, the Israeli Defense establishment announced "cracking down" on Jewish extremists and finding out the culprits of the attack, who have yet to be captured.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon ordered the use of administrative detention against Jewish extremist suspects. The tool includes incarceration of terrorism suspects for certain periods of time without trial, usually used against Palestinian militants.

Israel is trying to prevent an escalation in the tensions in the West Bank and prevent a violent backlash. A defense official told Israel Radio on Sunday that the Israeli security establishment is coordinated with the Palestinian Authority, fearing revenge attacks.

Another Jewish extremist arrested last week is Meir Ettinger, the grandson of the late Israeli-American ultranationalist Meir Kahane, over his suspected involvement in attacks against Palestinians.