Palestinians say Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques, vandalised cars and damaged farm land in the occupied West Bank. The attacks followed a recent clash in Tal, where four Palestinians and two Israelis were killed, leading both sides to blame each other for provoking violence.
Reports say the attacks occurred overnight in Qusra and Kour. In Qusra, the mayor claimed a mosque under construction was set ablaze and that graffiti bearing the word "revenge" was sprayed on its walls. In Kour, a mosque burned and slogans were sprayed on its walls.
Israeli military forces were sent to Qusra; police are investigating and collecting evidence. The Israel Defence Forces have conducted raids and arrested dozens of Palestinians in what it calls a counter‑terrorism operation.
Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed powerful action, including possible demolition of homes of those allegedly involved. The surge in settler attacks has intensified over recent months, drawing global condemnation but showing little sign of reversal.
The situation deteriorated before the Hamas‑led attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023. Since the subsequent Gaza war, settler violence in the West Bank has escalated. According to the UN, 1,114 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, mostly by the IDF, and about 35 of those deaths involved settler attacks. Since the Gaza war began, 41 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks or in Israeli military operations.
Israel has built hundreds of settlements, housing 700,000 Jewish residents, in the West Bank and East Jerusalem—territories that Palestinians seek for a future state. These settlements are deemed illegal under international law, while an estimated 3.3 million Palestinians live alongside them in the occupied territories.
