Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque and spray-painted its outer walls in the occupied West Bank village of Mikhmas on Wednesday, Palestinian sources and the Israeli military said. The attack took place shortly after midnight, and the military said it had sent soldiers to the village and opened an investigation. No suspects have been identified so far.
What residents saw
Atta Kanaan, a Palestinian resident who lives about 50 metres from the mosque, said he heard the sound of breaking glass shortly after midnight and went straight to the building. He said the fire was burning fiercely, and that young men from the village rushed in with fire extinguishers to contain part of it before the flames engulfed the whole mosque. Footage from the scene showed that the fire had burned the carpeting inside and blackened the walls.
Kanaan also said settlers set fire to a car. He added that in recent weeks villagers had formed night-watch patrols because they feared settlers might set fire to homes, particularly those on the edge of the village.
Graffiti and official response
A journalist at the scene reported that slogans had been spray-painted in Hebrew on the exterior walls, including the line “just because we are quiet doesn’t mean we are asleep.” The Israeli military said soldiers were dispatched after a report of graffiti and arson at the mosque, as well as damage to a vehicle. It said that “no suspects were identified” and that an investigation had been opened.
Rouhi Fattouh, president of the Palestinian National Council, described the arson as “a barbaric act and a dangerous escalation in settler terrorism.” Settlers are Israeli civilians who live in settlements built on land Israel occupied in the West Bank, and such settlements are widely considered illegal under international law. The West Bank is under Israeli military control, which is why the Israeli army is involved in responding to incidents there.
The reports available do not say whether anyone was hurt, or how much damage the building suffered beyond its interior and walls. It is also not clear when the military’s investigation will conclude or whether any arrests will follow. For now, the case remains open and no one has been named.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Israeli settlers ne West Bank ke gaon Mikhmas mein ek masjid ko aag laga di aur bahar ki deewaron par Hebrew mein nare likhe. Israeli fauj ne kaha ke koi suspect pehchana nahi gaya aur tehqiqat shuru kar di gayi hai. Gaon ke logon ne raat ko pehredari shuru ki hai kyunke unhein dar hai ke unke ghar bhi nishana ban sakte hain. Pakistani parhne walon ke liye yeh khabar dikhati hai ke maqbooza ilaqon mein ibadatgahon aur gharon dono ki hifazat ek sanjida masla hai.
