Israeli settlers set fire to mosques, cars and farm land in West Bank, Palestinians say
Tensions in the occupied West Bank escalate further as Palestinian officials report multiple attacks on mosques, vehicles, and properties by Israeli settlers.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques, cars, and agricultural land in the West Bank.
- The latest incidents follow a deadly clash on Friday that left six people dead.
- The UN reports a sharp rise in extremist settler violence since the Gaza war began.
Tensions in the occupied West Bank have flared up significantly after Palestinian officials reported that Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques, cars, and agricultural land across the territory. These latest attacks occurred just two days after a violent confrontation between settlers and Palestinians near the village of Tal, which resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians and two Israelis. Both sides have accused each other of provoking the violence that continues to destabilize the region.
Palestinian reports indicate that two villages in the occupied West Bank were targeted overnight, with cars vandalized, property stolen, and hate graffiti sprayed on building walls. The mayor of Qusra stated that settlers set fire to a mosque currently under construction and spray-painted graffiti containing the word "revenge" on its walls. The Israeli military responded by stating that troops were dispatched to Qusra and that police would investigate and gather evidence regarding the incident.
In a separate incident, Palestinian officials reported that 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 note that multiple settler attacks have been reported across various villages in the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the Tal incident by vowing to take "powerful action," which includes the potential demolition of the homes of two Palestinians allegedly involved in the violence.
The ongoing violence in the West Bank highlights a deeply rooted and complex conflict. Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East war—land that Palestinians claim for a future state alongside Gaza. Since then, hundreds of settlements have been built, housing approximately 700,000 Jews alongside an estimated 3.3 million Palestinians. These settlements are considered illegal under international law. While international condemnation of settler attacks has grown, analysts note that the situation has steadily deteriorated, exacerbated heavily by the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023.
The sharp increase in settler violence in recent months has drawn widespread international condemnation, yet it shows little to no sign of abating. The security situation had already deteriorated before the Hamas-led attacks on Israel, but the subsequent military campaign in Gaza has further accelerated extremist activities and confrontations within the West Bank territory.
According to the United Nations, 1,114 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, with the vast majority resulting from actions by the Israeli military, while at least 35 deaths have involved attacks by settlers. On the Israeli side, 41 individuals—including civilians and security personnel—have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war.
Source: BBC World
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