Ali Dawabsheh, an 18-month-old boy, was sleeping in his home with his family around 2 a.m. on July 31 when three right-wing Jewish extremists firebombed them, killing the baby and severely burning his mother, father and brother, reports said.
The attack was the latest in a string of violent incidents against Palestinians, that has created an atmosphere of fear and anxiety.
I had flown into the area to tour Palestinian refugee camps and towns in the West Bank with Existence is Resistance, a nonprofit which aims to promote non-violent resistance through the cultural arts as a means of expression of marginalized people, particularly in Palestine.
We gave workshops to children at refugee camps, and offered lessons in our own art forms. Workshops focused on jewelry making, painting, kickboxing, fitness courses, rapping and photography.
The Palestinians I had the opportunity to meet and talk with expressed anxiety, fear, and hopelessness. They are constantly reminded of the more than 500,000 Israelis in settlements deemed illegal under international law, because many lived in plain view of them and only a few miles away.
We attended three funerals while we were there. Each person was killed by an Israeli. Later on July 31, we watched a large man in a striped shirt stride through a mass of mourners, clutching a small bundle of blankets. Ali lay inside.
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