Israeli settlers set fire to Mosques in West Bank after deadly clash

Israeli settlers attacked several Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank early Sunday, setting fire to two mosques and spray-painting Hebrew revenge slogans on buildings, Palestinian officials said, in the latest escalation of violence in the territory.

The attacks came two days after a deadly confrontation near the Palestinian village of Tal, southwest of Nablus, in which four Palestinians and two Israelis, including an Israeli reserve soldier who served as a settlement security coordinator, were killed.

In Qusra, southeast of Nablus, village council head Abdel Azim Wadi said settlers torched a newly completed mosque that was ready to open for worship.

“The mosque was in its final stage and was ready to receive worshippers. They set it on fire and spray-painted Hebrew slogans on its walls,” Wadi told Reuters, adding that the graffiti included messages reading “Jewish revenge” and the name of one of the Israelis killed in Friday’s clash.

Palestinian officials also reported an attempted arson attack on another mosque in the nearby village of Kour. Local residents managed to extinguish the fire before it spread to the main prayer hall, according to village council member Farid Jiyousi.

The Israeli military confirmed troops responding to the incident in Qusra found evidence of arson and graffiti and said police had launched an investigation.

“The security forces strongly condemn incidents of this kind, including harm to religious sites, and will continue to act decisively to maintain security and public order in the area,” the military said in a statement.

The Palestinian Authority condemned the attacks, accusing Israeli settlers of carrying out what it described as systematic violence against Palestinian communities across the occupied West Bank.

The latest unrest follows Friday’s deadly confrontation near Tal, where Palestinian residents and Israeli settlers clashed after a group of settlers entered the area. The Israeli military said gunfire was exchanged by both sides, while Palestinian officials accused settlers of provoking the violence.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since ordered additional security deployments across the West Bank, reinforcing military units and cancelling leave for troops amid heightened tensions.

The violence comes as settlement expansion and recurring clashes continue to fuel tensions in the occupied territory. Most countries and the United Nations consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes.

Pope Leo on Sunday expressed deep concern over the worsening violence, urging all sides to pursue negotiations toward “a just political solution” while calling for respect for religious sites and the preservation of their status.