Family: Father of toddler killed in West Bank arson has died

The father of a Palestinian toddler killed in a firebomb attack blamed on Jewish extremists has died of wounds sustained in the same incident, his family said Saturday.

In the pre-dawn attack on July 31, assailants hurled firebombs into a bedroom of the Dawabsheh family's home in the West Bank village of Duma. Ali Dawabsheh, 18 months, perished in the flames, while his 4-year-old brother and parents were seriously hurt.

Ali's uncle, Nasser, said the family received word early Saturday from Israel's Soroka Medical Center that the toddler's father, Saed, had died. Nasser Dawabsheh said the funeral would take place Saturday.

Saed Dawabsheh's death was also confirmed by Duma's mayor, Abdel Salam Dawabsheh.

The Soroka spokesman could not be reached for comment.

The attack prompted widespread condemnation and pledges by Israel's government to get tougher on Jewish vigilantes who have repeatedly attacked Palestinians and their property over the years.

Several suspected Jewish extremists have been detained, but no one was directly accused of involvement in the attack.

Palestinians and Israeli human rights groups say Israeli authorities do little to enforce the law against militant settlers and that the Israeli military has largely failed to protect Palestinians against such attacks.

Many of the attacks have been part of a so-called "price tag" tactic intended to deter the dismantling of unauthorized settlement outposts that have sprung up on West Bank hilltops over the years.