Israeli settlers set fire to and vandalized a mosque in a Palestinian village in the central West Bank during the night. They left hateful messages as an act of defiance following condemnation by some Israeli leaders of recent settler attacks against Palestinians. The mosque in the Palestinian town of Deir Istiya had one wall, at least three copies of the Qur’an, and some carpeting burned when an Associated Press reporter visited the scene on Thursday.
Graffiti messages such as “we are not afraid,” “we will revenge again,” and “keep on condemning” were left by the settlers on one side of the mosque. The Hebrew writing, referencing Maj. Gen Avi Bluth, the chief of the military’s Central Command, was challenging to decipher. The Israeli military stated that troops were dispatched to investigate and that no suspects had been identified. The case was being handed over to Israeli police and security agencies.
This incident is part of a series of attacks that have raised concerns from top officials, military leaders, and the Trump administration. Israeli officials have tried to portray settler violence as the actions of a few extremists. However, Palestinians and rights groups argue that the violence is widespread across the territory and is carried out with impunity by settlers, under the watch of Israel’s far-right government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The recent denunciations were triggered by a brazen attack where dozens of masked Israeli settlers set fire to vehicles and property in Palestinian villages. The settlers then fled to an industrial zone and attacked responding soldiers, causing damage to a military vehicle. Four Israelis were arrested, and four Palestinians were injured in the incident.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the attacks as “shocking and serious,” emphasizing the need for decisive action by all state authorities to eradicate such behavior. Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the Israeli army’s chief of staff, echoed Herzog’s sentiments, stating that the military would not tolerate criminal acts by a minority that tarnish the law-abiding public.
Settler violence has been escalating for decades, with the mosque in Deir Istiya being a repeated target of attacks by settlers. The surge in violence has been particularly pronounced since the outbreak of the war in Gaza over two years ago. Palestinians claim that the violence aims to displace them from their lands, with many being affected by settler violence and access restrictions.
Emboldened by the government, settlers have extended beyond existing settlements to create new outposts, known as “young settlements.” These outposts encroach on Palestinian villages, with settlers gaining control over agricultural land and water sources. Palestinians and human rights workers accuse the Israeli army and police of failing to prevent attacks by settlers, with a low rate of convictions for settler violence cases reported over the years.
