Palestinians Report Two West Bank Mosques Torched by Settlers

QUSRA- Palestinian officials said two mosques in the occupied West Bank were set on fire overnight by Israeli settlers, as tensions remained high following a week of deadly violence that left six people dead in the territory.

The incidents occurred in the towns of Qusra, south of Nablus, and Kour, in the Tulkarem governorate, according to Palestinian officials. Israeli authorities confirmed that one of the reported attacks is under investigation after troops responding to the scene found evidence of arson and graffiti.

Abdel Azim Wadi, the mayor of Qusra, said settlers targeted a mosque that was under construction in the southern part of the town. He said the blaze destroyed the entrance to the building and damaged its stone structure.

Wadi added that the attackers spray-painted Hebrew graffiti on the mosque’s walls, including the word “revenge.”

The Israeli military said soldiers were dispatched to the outskirts of Qusra after receiving reports that a mosque had been set ablaze. In a statement, the military said troops searched the area for suspects who had fled before their arrival and found signs of arson and graffiti at the site.

The military said the Israeli police had opened an investigation and would collect evidence as part of the inquiry.

In a separate incident, the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs said Israeli settlers set fire to another mosque in the village of Kour near Tulkarem. The ministry said the attackers also sprayed racist slogans on the walls of the building.

The reported attacks followed a sharp escalation in violence across the occupied West Bank.

On Friday, clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the village of Tell left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead, according to authorities on both sides.

Following those clashes, the Israeli military launched what it described as a counter-terrorism operation across Nablus and nearby communities, announcing the arrest of dozens of Palestinians.

Residents in Nablus faced mounting disruption on Saturday, with long queues forming at petrol stations as fuel supplies became increasingly scarce, according to an AFP journalist in the city.

Violence in the West Bank has risen significantly since the Gaza war began following Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

According to Palestinian figures, at least 1,097 Palestinians, including militants, have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since the start of the war. Official Israeli data say at least 48 Israelis, including civilians and members of the security forces, have been killed in attacks carried out by Palestinians or during Israeli military operations.

Around three million Palestinians live in the Israeli-occupied West Bank alongside more than 500,000 Israeli settlers living in settlements that are considered illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes.

The latest incidents are likely to add to concerns over rising violence in the territory as security operations and settler-Palestinian confrontations continue.