In brief
Israeli settlers opened fire on two mosques, vandalised cars and arson‑touched agricultural fields in the West Bank, heightening the already volatile situation. Palestinian villagers recount the burning of their homes and the spray‑painted calls for revenge on mosque walls. Israeli troops responded by deploying soldiers and announcing a counter‑terrorism raid that detained over 130 suspects. The attack comes days after a deadly clash in Tal that left seven dead, amid criticism of Israeli policy toward outposts. The violence underscores the fragile security situation and the urgent need for international scrutiny.
Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques, vandalised cars, and torched agricultural land in the West Bank, Palestinian authorities report. The attacks, just days after a fatal clash near Tal that left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead, mark a sharp increase in settler violence across the region.
In the villages of Qusra and Kour, mosque walls are littered with graffiti calling for revenge. The mayor of Qusra said an under‑construction mosque was burned. A resident, Abdul Azim Wadi, noted the spray‑painted word “revenge” imprinted on the mosque’s exterior. In Kour, a separate mosque suffered a similar fate with slogans chiseled onto its stones.
The Israeli military dispatched troops to Qusra and promised an investigation and evidence gathering. Meanwhile, the IDF raided surrounding villages, arresting more than 130 suspects in a counter‑terrorism operation that the army described as targeting “nationalist crime.”
Among those killed in the latest violence were civilians and security personnel on both sides. The United Nations has logged 1,114 Palestinian deaths in the West Bank, a majority inflicted by the IDF, with at least 35 of those being settler attacks. The numbers illustrate the escalating brutality of the conflict.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed “powerful action” following the Tal clash, including potential demolition of the homes of those linked to the killings. He also pledged to accelerate the establishment of new outposts, a move critics say fuels further aggression.
Residents living in villages such as Sarra faced nights of violent assaults. One mother, Hanan Turabi, recounted watching her house set on fire and her family’s desperate escape to avoid the flames. Another eyewitness, Kaied Ahmad Turabi, described being wounded in a confrontation with heavily armed settlers while visiting relatives.
Despite international condemnation, settler attacks have seen little decline. Israel’s occupation of the West Bank since 1967 has led to the construction of settlements opposing Palestinian land claims. With hundreds of such communities and 700,000 residents, the conflict remains a core issue for any future two‑state resolution.
The situation underscores an urgent need for sustained international pressure and efforts to curb hardline settlement expansion.
