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Two West Bank Mosques Torched in Apparent Settler Attack Amid Rising Violence
🇦🇷 Argentina /Conflict & Security

Two West Bank Mosques Torched in Apparent Settler Attack Amid Rising Violence

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Two mosques in the occupied West Bank were set ablaze in an apparent settler attack, officials reported Sunday.
  • The incidents follow a surge in violence that killed four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers, raising fears of widespread unrest.
  • Israeli forces deployed across the West Bank, closing roads and arresting over 70 Palestinians in an effort to contain the escalation.

Two mosques in the occupied West Bank were torched overnight in what officials described as an apparent attack by Israeli settlers. The incidents occurred amidst a sharp escalation of violence that has claimed the lives of four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers.

Israeli forces were deployed throughout the West Bank following the attacks. They closed main roads and blocked access to a hospital where two militants were reportedly hiding. Over the weekend, Israel also arrested more than 70 Palestinians in an attempt to quell the rising tensions.

The Israeli army came here, saw it with their own eyes and then left.

— Ahmed Abu Mahmoud, 64-year-old residentMahmoud described the lack of assistance from Israeli authorities following previous thefts and the mosque fire.

The mosques, located in the villages of Qusra and Kour in the northern West Bank, sustained considerable damage. In Qusra, attackers spray-painted slogans including "revenge for Benayahu," referencing one of the Israeli soldiers killed Friday, and "the land of Israel is redeemed by blood." The soldier lived in a nearby settlement.

Ahmed Abu Mahmoud, a 64-year-old resident near the Qusra mosque, recounted hearing noises at 3 a.m. and discovering the mosque ablaze. He stated that Israeli authorities had not provided assistance despite previous incidents of theft in the area. "The Israeli army came here, saw it with their own eyes and then left," he said.

The security forces strongly condemn such incidents, including damage to religious sites, and will continue to act with determination to maintain security and public order in the area.

— Israeli Defense ForcesThe IDF issued a statement condemning the mosque attacks and vowing to maintain security.

Security footage from Kour showed three individuals in civilian clothing causing a large explosion at the mosque entrance late at night. Residents held prayers on Sunday despite the damage. The Israeli Defense Forces condemned such acts and vowed to maintain security, though investigations into settler violence rarely lead to arrests or prosecutions.

In parallel, the military reported sealing the homes of two Palestinian militants suspected of killing soldiers, in preparation for their demolition. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that troops were operating across the West Bank to seize weapons and make arrests, expressing readiness to act against "terrorist nests."

We are also prepared to operate on a wider scale against terrorist nests.

— Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuNetanyahu announced broader operations against what he termed 'terrorist nests' in the West Bank.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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