Israeli settlers burn mosque, spray racist graffiti in West Bank village

Israeli settlers carried out two separate attacks on Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank early Friday, torching a mosque and vehicles in one village while breaking into homes in another, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Mosque and vehicles burned in Jibiya

Local sources told Wafa that settlers entered the village of Jibiya, northwest of Ramallah, and set fire to the local mosque and several Palestinian-owned vehicles. The attackers also sprayed racist slogans on the walls of homes. No injuries were reported, but the property damage was extensive.

Homes attacked south of Nablus

In a separate incident, settlers attacked Palestinian homes in the town of Al-Lubban al-Sharqiya, south of Nablus. Security sources told Wafa that the attackers broke down several doors along the town’s main road, spreading panic among women and children. The occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has seen a sharp escalation in Israeli military operations and settler attacks since October 2023. According to official Palestinian figures, attacks by the Israeli army and settlers have killed 1,155 Palestinians, wounded approximately 11,750, and led to the arrest of nearly 22,000. Türkiye has repeatedly condemned settler violence and called on the international community to hold perpetrators accountable under international law.