In a series of violent incidents, Israeli settlers have reportedly set fire to two mosques, abused vehicles and scorched farmland in the West Bank, Palestinian officials say. The attacks come two days after a deadly clash near the village of Tal that left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead.
Both sides blame the other for provoking the violence, heightening overall tensions in the occupied territory where extremist settlers have increasingly targeted Palestinian populations. Palestinian officials claim surrounding villages were attacked overnight, with vandalism, property theft and hate-slang graffiti on walls.
In Qusra, the town’s mayor alleges settlers set fire to a mosque that was under construction, and a resident recalls graffiti with the word “revenge” etched on the building’s walls. In a separate incident in Kour, another mosque was burned and sprayed with slogans.
The Israeli military has sent troops to Qusra, with police and investigators gathering evidence, and the Israel Defence Forces claim they have been conducting raids and arresting Palestinians in a “counter‑terrorism” operation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed “powerful action” following the Tal clash, including the possible demolition of the homes of two Palestinians allegedly involved.
The UN reports 1,114 Palestinians killed in the West Bank, most by Israeli forces. At least 35 deaths involve settler attacks, and 41 Israelis have died in Palestinian attacks or military operations since the Gaza war began. Israel’s 700,000‑person settlement presence in the West Bank remains illegal under international law.
