Mosque Torched in West Bank Village as Israeli Settler Attack Sparks Widespread Outrage
A mosque in the central West Bank village of Deir Istiya was set on fire and defaced overnight in an attack carried out by Israeli settlers, an incident that has drawn rare and sharp condemnations from senior Israeli officials and added further strain to an already tense atmosphere across the occupied territory.
Local residents woke to the smell of smoke and the sight of scorched walls inside their community mosque. When an Associated Press reporter visited the site on Thursday, parts of the interior were still blackened from the blaze. Several copies of the Koran had been burned, and sections of the prayer carpeting were destroyed. The attack occurred just hours after some Israeli leaders had publicly criticised settler violence following a separate incident earlier in the week.
Spray painted messages in Hebrew covered parts of the exterior walls. The phrases, including “we are not afraid,” “we will revenge again,” and “keep on condemning,” appeared intended as defiance toward recent statements from Israeli officials who condemned settler attacks on Palestinians. One of the scrawled messages seemed to reference Major General Avi Bluth, head of the Israeli military’s Central Command, who had issued an unusually direct criticism of such violence the day before.
Residents of Deir Istiya described the attack as deeply painful and said it was meant to intimidate the community. The mosque, they noted, is not only a place of worship but a gathering point that holds significant cultural and spiritual value. Village elders said the desecration of holy books and the burning of carpeting were deliberate attempts to provoke anger and fear.
The attack comes at a moment of heightened tension in the West Bank, where clashes between settlers and Palestinians have become increasingly frequent. Rights groups say settler violence has grown more organised and emboldened, often carried out with little accountability. Palestinian officials condemned the mosque attack as a serious escalation and called on the international community to demand stronger action to prevent further violence.
Israeli authorities said they are investigating the incident, although Palestinians expressed doubt that anyone would be held responsible. Past investigations into settler violence have rarely resulted in charges, deepening frustration among Palestinian communities.
Israeli officials, however, seemed eager to show a tougher stance this time. The condemnation issued earlier in the week by Major General Bluth was one of the strongest statements in years from a military commander regarding settler misconduct. Several political figures repeated similar concerns, warning that unchecked violence undermines both security and the rule of law.
Despite these remarks, many Palestinians say meaningful action remains unlikely. For them, the charred walls and ashes inside the Deir Istiya mosque serve as evidence of a deteriorating situation that continues to threaten their safety and dignity.
The community has begun cleaning and repairing the damage, but residents say the emotional wounds will last far longer.
