Palestinian officials say Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques, damaged cars and burned agricultural land in the occupied West Bank, in the latest reported attacks following a deadly confrontation near the village of Tal.
The reported incidents occurred after a clash on Friday in which four Palestinians and two Israelis were killed. Both Palestinians and Israelis have accused the other side of instigating the violence, and the episode has added to already severe tensions across the territory.
Palestinian reports said two villages were attacked overnight, with vehicles vandalised, property taken and slogans sprayed on walls. In Qusra, the mayor, Abdul Azim Wadi, said settlers set fire to a mosque that was still under construction and sprayed graffiti including the word “revenge” on the building.
The Israeli military said troops were sent to Qusra and that police would investigate and gather evidence. Palestinian officials also reported a separate attack in Kour, where they said another mosque was set alight and slogans were sprayed on its walls.
The Israel Defense Forces said on Sunday that it was working to prevent what it describes as “nationalist crime”, the term Israeli authorities use for attacks carried out by extremist settlers. The military presence in the area was reported to be heavy over the weekend as soldiers sought to separate Palestinians and settlers in several locations.
Since the fatal clash at Tal, Palestinians have reported multiple attacks by settlers on villages in the West Bank. The IDF has also carried out raids and said it arrested more than 130 people during the weekend as part of what it called a counter terrorism operation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the killings in Tal by promising “powerful action”. Possible measures include the demolition of the homes of two Palestinians alleged by Israel to have been involved in the incident.
Residents in Sarra, a Palestinian village near Tal, described extensive damage during an attack they attributed to settlers. The nearby outpost of Havat Gilad is visible on a hill beside the village. Residents said six buildings were set on fire and more than a dozen others were struck with stones.
Hanan Turabi, whose home was among the properties residents said were burned, told the BBC she saw groups of settlers moving towards her across the hillside. She said she remained in the house until shortly before fleeing with four children.
“They came from everywhere,” she said. “We tried to escape but they followed us and threw stones.” She said she had wanted to remain to protect her property but ultimately had to choose between the house and the safety of her family.
Kaied Ahmad Turabi, who lives in Miami and was visiting relatives in the village, said he was injured during the attack. He told the BBC he had recently left hospital after suffering a black eye, cuts, bruising and a head wound that he said required 12 stitches.
He said those involved had covered faces and were carrying sticks and other objects. “They came ready,” he said.
Further tension was reported when settlers were later seen again near the edge of the village. Residents gathered at the back entrance, while Israeli soldiers stood between the groups. Palestinians said soldiers used tear gas to force them back down the road.
The latest incidents have occurred against the backdrop of a marked rise in settler violence in the West Bank. Human rights organisations have said the growth of unauthorised outposts has contributed to attacks on Palestinian communities, while Israeli leaders have publicly condemned extremist violence.
At the same time, Mr Netanyahu has said he intends to accelerate the establishment and legalisation of farm outposts in the West Bank in response to the killing of Israelis at Tal. New outposts have already appeared in the area, according to the BBC, including one near Sarra that is visible from the main road.
Violence in the West Bank had worsened before the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, but it has escalated further during the subsequent war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The deterioration has drawn international concern over the security of Palestinian communities and the risk of further confrontation.
According to the United Nations, 1,114 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, most of them by Israeli forces. The UN says at least 35 of those deaths involved attacks by settlers. It also says 41 Israelis, including civilians and members of the security forces, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations in the West Bank over the same period.
Israel has built settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since capturing the territories in the 1967 Middle East war. Around 700,000 Jewish settlers now live there alongside an estimated 3.3 million Palestinians. The Palestinians seek the West Bank and East Jerusalem, along with Gaza, for a future state, and the settlements are regarded as illegal under international law.
The reported mosque fires and attacks on property are now part of a wider security and political crisis in the West Bank. With Palestinian communities reporting repeated assaults and Israel expanding military operations, the immediate challenge for authorities is preventing further violence while investigations into the latest incidents proceed.
