Wave of settler attacks on West Bank villages – mosque set ablaze

A wave of attacks by Israeli settlers has targeted Palestinian villages on the West Bank over the weekend, leading to significant damage and displacement. The violence escalated following the deaths of two Israelis in the Palestinian village of Tell, where settlers had gathered without prior notification to authorities or Palestinians.

In the early hours of Sunday, the mosque in Qusra, a village southeast of Nablus, was set ablaze. The attackers spray-painted messages near the burned mosque, including "Revenge Benayahu," referencing one of the Israelis killed. Simultaneously, the village of Sarra, in the same district, was attacked, with seven homes reportedly burned down after gasoline was poured through windows, leaving about twenty people homeless.

Further incidents included the ignition of a garage containing trucks and excavators worth millions in Ramallah. On Friday, a flock of sheep was poisoned in the village of Asirah, north of Nablus. The owner stated that settlers from the newly established Ebal settlement, inaugurated in July, have repeatedly driven him from his land.

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They have driven me away from my own land several times. They come from the new colony Ebal, which the Israelis inaugurated in July.

These attacks have occurred amid a backdrop of increased Israeli military presence, with brigades quadrupled in the area. However, Israeli media reports cite military sources indicating that the perpetrators are encouraged by "political elements," suggesting government backing. The Oslo 2 agreement from 1995 prohibits Israelis from entering Palestinian-controlled areas A and B, yet many new settlements, including Ebal, have been established within or on the borders of these zones.

The unrest began Wednesday after a fire destroyed homes in the settlement of Havat Gilad, which settlers claim was arson, though fire officials have ruled it accidental. This incident was used as a pretext for the subsequent violence. With all Palestinian communities on the West Bank under blockade, their ability to mobilize mutual assistance is severely hampered, making them more vulnerable to settler attacks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised "comprehensive anti-terror operations" in the West Bank, though critics accuse him of exaggerating the terror threat for political gain during the ongoing election campaign.

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Revenge Benayahu