Israeli Settlers Allegedly Set Mosque on Fire

Israeli settlers set fire to the Bir Al-Walidain mosque in the village of Marda, located in the occupied West Bank, prompting condemnation from Palestinian officials and an investigation by Israeli police. Abdallah Kamil, the governor of Salfit, stated that the attack involved vandalism with racist graffiti, including slogans like 'Death to Arabs' and 'revenge,' indicating a rise in settler violence amidst ongoing tensions from the recent conflict in Gaza. Local residents managed to extinguish the fire before it fully engulfed the mosque, which sustained significant damage. Kamil criticized the Israeli military for providing protection to settlers, asserting that such acts would not occur without this backing. The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the incident as a blatant act of racism and part of a broader incitement against Palestinians. The escalation of violence has seen over 1,300 Palestinians displaced and hundreds killed since the onset of the war in October 2023.