Palestinian authorities have condemned the burning of parts of a mosque in the West Bank city of Nablus, calling it the latest in a growing wave of settler attacks on religious sites and civilian property.
Witnesses said Israeli settlers on Monday stormed the nearby town of Tal before dawn and set fire to sections of the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque, leaving the entrance and facade blackened by smoke and scrawling racist graffiti on its walls.
Among the markings was the name “Price Tag,” a hardline settler network long linked to attacks on Palestinians and their property.
‘Systematic escalation’ tolerated by Israeli authorities
The Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs described the arson as part of a “systematic escalation” in assaults on holy sites, saying dozens of mosques were targeted last year alone.
The ministry accused Israeli forces of failing to prevent such incidents and said the attacks violated international guarantees on freedom of worship.
The incident comes amid a broader surge in violence across the occupied West Bank since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, with Palestinian officials reporting rising killings, arrests and displacement by Israelis.
In a July 2024 advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice ruled Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories unlawful and called for the dismantling of settlements — a ruling Israel rejects but which Palestinians cite as legal backing for their claims.
For many residents, Monday’s attack reinforced fears that religious sites are increasingly becoming flashpoints in a conflict already inflamed by war, political deadlock and deepening mistrust on the ground.
