ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/ARSON-BODY Body of mother killed in arson attack brought to West Bank for burial

Record ID: 141657

  • Title: ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/ARSON-BODY Body of mother killed in arson attack brought to West Bank for burial
  • Date: 7th September 2015
  • Summary: NABLUS, WEST BANK (SEPTEMBER 7, 2015) (REUTERS) BODY OF 27-YEAR-OLD RIHAM DAWABSHEH BEING TAKEN OUT OF AMBULANCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RIHAM DAWABSHEH'S BROTHER-IN-LAW, NASSER DAWABSHEH, SAYING: "Yesterday, when Um Ahmad (Reham) passed away at midnight on her birthday on September 6, 1988, she was 27 years-old when she died. Thank god, it was like if Ahmad felt something terrible and he started crying and kept crying until 4 AM, although in that time he was awake but yesterday was the hardest period we've experienced with Ahmad because we couldn't answer any of his questions. We were weak in front of Ahmad, we were defeated in front of Ahmad." MORE OF DAWABSHEH BEING TAKEN FOR EXAMINATION AT NABLUS HOSPITAL MOURNER HOLDING UP PICTURE OF DAWABSHEH EXTERIOR OF HOSPITAL
  • Embargoed: 22nd September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA541YEECS5VOLT3GEJQBBGKH8Z
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The mother of a Palestinian toddler killed in a July arson attack in the Israeli-occupied West Bank died on Monday (September 7) of her burns, the third fatality after her husband succumbed to his injuries last month.
    Hours after she was pronounced dead, the body of 27-year-old Riham Dawabsheh was brought to a Nablus hospital from Israel's Sheba Medical Center for further examination and ahead of burial in the West Bank village of Duma.
    "Yesterday, when Um Ahmad (Reham) passed away at midnight on her birthday on September 6 1988, she was 27 years-old when she died. Thank god, it was like if Ahmad felt something terrible and he started crying and kept crying until 4 AM, although in that time he was awake but yesterday was the hardest period we've experienced with Ahmad because we couldn't answer any of his questions. We were weak in front of Ahmad, we were defeated in front of Ahmad," said Riham's brother-in-law, Nasser Dawabsheh, who accompanied the body back home.
    Soon after the announcement by medical authorities, Palestinians gathered in the family's home village of Duma, calling for a "day of rage" throughout Palestinian territories.
    Suspected Jewish attackers torched the family's home in the northern West Bank on July 31, killing Riham's 18-month-old son, Ali. His father Saad Dawabsheh died on August 9.
    "To my regret, she passed away after midnight," a hospital spokeswoman said. A second son is still in hospital.
    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the attack as an act of terrorism and ordered a crackdown on violent far-right Jewish groups.
    The new measures allow the detention without trial of Israeli citizens suspected of political violence against Palestinians and harsher interrogations - measures previously reserved largely for Palestinian suspects.
    Several alleged leaders of Jewish extremist groups have since been detained, though none have been publicly accused of direct involvement in the attack.
    "Over a month has passed and the Israeli government hasn't yet brought the terrorists to justice," Saeb Erekat, secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said in a statement. "If Israel is not stopped and held accountable, then Riham will not be the last victim of Israeli terror," he said.
    There was no immediate reaction to the news of the death from the Israeli government.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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