Israeli settlers have set fire to two mosques in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian officials have also alleged that the settlers torched several vehicles and areas of farmland. These latest attacks occurred just two days after clashes between settlers and Palestinians near the village of Qusra—incidents that left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead. Both sides have blamed each other for the violence. Tensions in the West Bank have escalated further following those clashes; emboldened by the far-right faction of the current Israeli government, extremist settlers have been steadily increasing acts of violence against Palestinians.
BBC Online reported the story. Palestinian sources stated that settlers attacked two villages in the occupied West Bank overnight on Saturday. During the attacks, they vandalized vehicles, stole property, and scrawled hate-filled slogans on walls. Abdul Azim Wadi, the mayor of Qusra village, said that settlers set fire to a mosque that was under construction. He added that they left behind slogans, including the word “revenge,” on the mosque’s walls. The Israeli military stated that troops have been deployed to Qusra and that police will investigate the incident and gather evidence.
Palestinian officials reported that, in a separate incident, settlers set fire to another mosque in the village of Qur and scrawled slogans on its walls. Palestinians say there have been multiple settler attacks on various Palestinian villages across the West Bank since the deadly clashes in Qusra on Friday. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted raids in various parts of the West Bank as part of so-called “counter-terrorism operations,” arresting dozens of Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to take stern action in response to the events in Qusra; this includes the potential demolition of the homes of two Palestinians accused of involvement in the attacks.
