Israeli settlers allegedly set fire to a mosque and spray-painted its exterior walls in the Palestinian village of Mikhmas in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, according to Palestinian residents and the Israeli military. Atta Kanaan, a local resident living near the mosque, told AFP that he heard breaking glass shortly after midnight and rushed to the scene. Residents used fire extinguishers to contain the blaze before it engulfed the entire building.
The fire damaged the mosque’s interior carpeting and blackened its walls, while Hebrew slogans were reportedly spray-painted on the exterior. Kanaan also said that settlers had set fire to a car in the village. According to residents, villagers had recently organised night patrols amid fears of further attacks on homes, particularly those located on the outskirts of the community.
The Israeli military confirmed that soldiers had been dispatched to investigate reports of arson, graffiti and vehicle damage. It said no suspects had been identified and that an investigation was underway. Palestinian National Council President Rouhi Fattouh condemned the mosque attack, describing it as a dangerous escalation in settler violence.
