Israel convicts 7 for celebrating Palestinian baby murder
Palestinian supporters hold photographs of children who were killed by Israel, during the National March for Palestine demonstration at Lincoln Memorial, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 29. 2021. (AP Photo)


Seven people were convicted by an Israeli court Wednesday of incitement to violence and terrorism for their role in a 2015 wedding where far-right Jews were videotaped mocking a murdered Palestinian toddler, who was killed during an arson attack on a Palestinian family's home.

One of the accused was also found guilty of supporting a terrorist organization and incitement to racism, a court document said. An eighth defendant was acquitted.

The incitement charges carry a maximum five-year jail term. A sentencing hearing is due in October.

The wedding drew an outcry from both Palestinians and Israelis, coming months after one-year-old Ali Dawabshe and his parents died in an arson attack on their home in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

An Israeli court in 2020 convicted a Jewish settler of their murders.

One of those convicted on Wednesday, Dov Morell, said on Twitter: "My deeds do not represent who I am today, and I regret them." But he added: "I don't think this constitutes a felony and it looks like I will appeal the conviction."

There was no immediate comment from the other defendants.

In the video, one dancing celebrant stabbed a picture of the baby while others waved assault rifles, knives and what appeared to be a petrol bomb. Wedding songs contained lyrics such as "the mosque will burn" and "the mosque will explode."

In 2015, the boy and his parents died when their home in the village of Duma in the occupied West Bank was set ablaze in July in an incident Israeli officials described as "Jewish terrorism." The arson, and delays in solving the case, although Israel had several suspects in custody, contributed to the outbreak of the worst Palestinian street violence in years.