Tensions in the West Bank: Mosques Torched Following Deadly Clashes
The occupied West Bank has seen a sharp escalation in violence following a weekend of deadly confrontations that left six people dead. Palestinian officials report that Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques, one in the town of Qusra near Nablus and another in the village of Kour near Tulkarem. In Qusra, the mayor noted that a mosque under construction sustained significant damage to its entrance and masonry, with the attackers leaving behind Hebrew graffiti that included the word "revenge." The Israeli military confirmed they are investigating the arson, noting that the perpetrators had fled the scene before troops could arrive.
This wave of unrest follows a particularly violent Friday, during which clashes between settlers and Palestinians in the village of Tell resulted in four Palestinian and two Israeli deaths. In response, the Israeli military launched widespread operations, including arrests in Nablus, while the region faces increasing instability and fuel shortages. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war last October, the West Bank has experienced a surge in fatalities, with over a thousand Palestinians and dozens of Israelis killed, further straining the already volatile environment where roughly three million Palestinians live alongside more than 500,000 Israeli settlers.