Israeli settlers set fire to mosques, cars and farm land in West Bank, Palestinians say
Palestinian officials said Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques, as well as cars and farmland in the occupied West Bank, as tensions in the region continued to rise.
The latest attacks came two days after clashes between settlers and Palestinians near the village of Tal resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians and two Israelis.
Both sides accused each other of inciting violence.
The conflict has further inflamed the situation in the West Bank, where extremist settlers are waging increasing violence against Palestinians, encouraged by far-right elements in the current Israeli government.
Palestinian reports say two villages in the occupied West Bank came under attack from settlers overnight, with cars destroyed, property stolen and hateful graffiti spray-painted on walls.
The mayor of Qusra said settlers set fire to a mosque under construction.
Abdul Azim Wadi said settlers spray-painted graffiti including the word “revenge” on the walls of the mosque.
The Israeli army said that troops were sent to Kusra and that the police would investigate and collect evidence.
In a separate incident, Palestinian officials say settlers set fire to another mosque in the village of Kour and sprayed slogans on its walls.
Since Friday’s deadly clash in Tal, Palestinians say there have been numerous settler attacks on West Bank villages.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out raids and arrested dozens of Palestinians in what it called an “anti-terrorism” operation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the incident in Tal by promising “strong action.”
This includes the possibility of demolishing the homes of two Palestinians allegedly involved.
There has been a sharp increase in settler attacks in the West Bank in recent months.
It has faced international condemnation but there is little to no sign of a reversal.
The situation had already worsened before Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
However, settler violence in the West Bank increased following Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
The UN says 1,114 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, the vast majority by the IDF. It is stated that at least 35 of the deaths were caused by attacks from settlers.
It is stated that 41 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations in the West Bank since the beginning of the Gaza war.
Israel has built hundreds of settlements housing 700,000 Jews since occupying the West Bank and East Jerusalem (land that Palestinians want, along with Gaza, for a hoped-for future state) during the 1967 Middle East war. It is estimated that approximately 3.3 million Palestinians live near them. Settlements are illegal under international law.
