Duma arson
Duma arsonMiriam Alster/Flash 90

One of the Jewish men being held on vague suspicions of involvement in the lethal Duma arson that in July left a young Arab couple and one of their children dead is to be released on Friday, to a five-day house arrest.

The detainee, a resident of the Binyamin region of Samaria, is a married father of several children. He was arrested 12 days ago and taken for investigation at undisclosed Israeli Security Agency (ISA) facilities.

Two days ago the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court extended his arrest until next Sunday, but Friday morning the investigative sources announced that he will be released today to five days of house arrest.

A public outcry has arisen regarding the treatment of the suspects in the arson case, particularly in light of the breach of their basic rights - they have been refused religious rights such as lighting Hanukkah candles, been banned from seeing their lawyers for over two weeks in some cases, and several have been denied medical treatment after being beaten during arrest.

Attorney Adi Keidar who is representing the suspect for the Honenu legal aid organization said "the release of this suspect is accompanied by mixed emotions."

"Since the first day we have argued his innocence, arguing that the legal system, the attorney's office and the Shabak (ISA) have left him in arrest - a false arrest - when they know that he has no connection (to the arson), no information, nothing even connected to this incident."

"It is saddening that the police (only) out of a lack of options - since there is no evidence or suspicions - are forced to release him," said Keidar.

"And that (it comes) after the courts, after various things were presented to them, ordered his arrest - that's a certificate of hostility by the court, the police and the Shabak, and I am certain that the last word still hasn't been said in the case."

Highlighting the problematic nature of the arrests and the draconian treatment of the suspects, Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) last Friday admitted that there is no evidence to try the suspects.

This Friday, the wives of two of the suspects spoke to Yedioth Aharonoth, stating their husbands' innocence and calling on the state not to "frame" them. In the case of at least one of the suspects, sources have revealed investigators have admitted that they know he is not connected to the case.

Some argue the investigation is following the wrong lead, given reports and unusual circumstances at the scene of the crime indicating the arson may have been an inside job committed by feuding residents of the Arab village. Israel has reportedly left investigation of the Arab village to the Palestinian Authority (PA), instead chasing the "Jewish terrorism" angle based on Hebrew graffiti found at the site.