Nablus: Two mosques were set on fire overnight in separate incidents in the occupied West Bank, with Palestinian officials accusing Israeli settlers of carrying out the attacks amid rising tensions in the territory.
According to Abdul Azim Wadi, the mayor of Qusra, a town south of Nablus, Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque under construction in the southern part of the town.
The mayor said the attackers also spray-painted Hebrew-language graffiti on the mosque’s walls, including the word “revenge.”
In a separate incident, the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Affairs said settlers also set fire to a mosque in the village of Kour, near Tulkarm, and painted what it described as racist slogans on its walls.
The incidents occurred a day after violent clashes in the village of Tell, where four Palestinians and two Israelis were killed, according to the report.
Meanwhile, Israeli Army Radio reported a sharp increase in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians during the first half of 2026.
According to the report, 660 incidents involving settler attacks were recorded during the first six months of the year, representing a 63 per cent increase compared with 405 incidents during the same period in 2025.
The report further stated that at least 1,185 Palestinians, including 250 children, have been killed in the occupied West Bank since October 2023.
It added that at least 87 Palestinians have been killed in the territory so far in 2026, including 21 who were reportedly killed in attacks by Israeli settlers.
The reported attacks on the mosques come amid continuing violence and heightened tensions across the occupied West Bank. The allegations regarding responsibility for the attacks and the casualty figures cited above are based on statements from Palestinian officials and reports carried by Israeli media. These claims have not been independently verified.
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