"Arson at a West Bank mosque during Ramadan by an illegal Jewish settlement."

Even during the sacred month of Ramadan, illegal Israeli settlers launched a violent attack on a mosque in the occupied West Bank. On Monday, the assailants set fire to the mosque and scrawled racist and inflammatory slogans on its walls.

According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, the incident occurred at the Abu Bakr As-Siddiq Mosque, situated between the villages of Sarra and Tal near Nablus in the northern West Bank.

Witness Accounts

Local residents arriving for the Fajr prayer at dawn discovered smoke and scorch marks at the mosque entrance. Munir Ramadan, who lives adjacent to the mosque, described the scene:

"I opened the door and was stunned. The fire was still burning, and the glass and doors were shattered," he said.

CCTV footage reportedly captured two individuals approaching the mosque carrying petrol and spray paint, and fleeing shortly afterwards.

The perpetrators left offensive graffiti on the mosque walls, including derogatory references to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and slogans such as "Revenge" and "Price Tag."

Continuing Violence in the West Bank

Violence perpetrated by Israeli forces and illegal settlers continues unabated in both Gaza and the West Bank. According to the latest United Nations data, since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, at least 1,094 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers.

A recent UN Human Rights Council report warned that the eviction of Palestinians and the destruction of homes may amount to acts of “ethnic cleansing.”

The Palestinian authorities further reported that a total of 45 mosques in the West Bank were attacked during the past year, illustrating a troubling pattern of assaults on places of worship.

Summary of Mosque Attacks in the West Bank (2023–2024)

The continued targeting of mosques, especially during holy periods such as Ramadan, has heightened fears among Palestinians about their safety and the preservation of their religious sites. International human rights organisations have repeatedly condemned these attacks, calling for urgent measures to protect civilians and uphold international law.