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Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque in the West Bank village of Mikhmas
Villagers put out the blaze with fire extinguishers before it spread. Hebrew slogans were sprayed on the walls, and the Israeli army says it has opened an investigation.
Key points
- Settlers burned the carpets of a mosque in Mikhmas and blackened its walls.
- The Israeli army said no suspects were identified and an investigation has been opened.
- Villagers have begun night-watch patrols, fearing attacks on homes.
Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque in the occupied West Bank village of Mikhmas early on Wednesday and sprayed Hebrew slogans on its outer walls, residents said.
Atta Kanaan, who lives about 50 metres from the mosque, heard glass breaking shortly after midnight and ran towards the building. “A fire was burning fiercely,” he said. His group called the fire brigade, and young men from the village fought the flames with fire extinguishers, partly containing the blaze before it could engulf the mosque.
The fire burned the carpets inside and blackened the walls. One of the slogans sprayed outside read: “Just because we are quiet doesn’t mean we are asleep.” A car was also set alight, Kanaan said.
The Israeli military said soldiers were sent to the village after reports of graffiti, arson at the mosque and damage to a vehicle. “No suspects were identified,” it said, adding that an investigation had been opened.
Rouhi Fattouh, president of the Palestinian National Council, called the attack “a barbaric act and a dangerous escalation in settler terrorism”.
In recent weeks villagers in Mikhmas have set up night-watch patrols, afraid that settlers will torch homes, especially on the edges of the village.