Israeli Settlers Set Fire to Mosque in West Bank Village of Mikhmas
MIKHMAS: The West Bank mosque fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday, October 14, when Israeli settlers torched a mosque in the village of Mikhmas and scrawled slogans in Hebrew across its outer walls, according to Palestinian residents and the Israeli military.
Atta Kanaan, who lives about 50 metres from the mosque, said he heard the sound of breaking glass shortly after midnight and rushed to the building. “A fire was burning fiercely, and we called the fire brigade. Young men rushed to help us with fire extinguishers, and we managed to contain part of the fire before the flames engulfed the entire mosque,” he told AFP.
The Israeli military told AFP that soldiers were sent to Mikhmas after reports of graffiti and arson at the mosque, along with damage to a vehicle. “No suspects were identified,” it said, adding that an investigation had been opened.
Video footage from AFP showed that the blaze had destroyed the mosque’s interior carpeting and blackened its walls with soot. An AFP journalist at the scene reported that slogans had been spray-painted on the outside walls, including one in Hebrew reading: “just because we are quiet doesn’t mean we are asleep”.
Kanaan said the settlers also set fire to a car. He added that villagers had started night-watch patrols in recent weeks out of fear that settlers would torch homes, particularly those on the edges of the village.
Mikhmas sits in the central West Bank between Ramallah and Jerusalem, close to several Israeli settlement outposts whose residents have attacked the community on a number of occasions in recent months.
Rouhi Fattouh, president of the Palestinian National Council, described the attack as “a barbaric act and a dangerous escalation in settler terrorism”. The council serves as the parliament of the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
Related: Israel Strikes Kill Five in Gaza City and Tuffah
West Bank mosque fire comes amid wider raids and olive harvest
The arson took place during a wider night of raids across the territory. In the town of Beita, south of Nablus, settlers attacked a Palestinian boy, while Israeli forces arrested three Palestinians during a raid on the city of Qalqilya. Troops also raided the village of Tammun and fired tear gas, according to the Palestinian news outlet Quds News Network.
The attack also coincided with the olive harvest, a vital source of income for Palestinian farmers across the West Bank. Settler groups have repeatedly been accused of intimidating farmers and blocking access to groves during the harvest season.
Settler violence in the occupied territory has surged in recent years. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have accused the Israeli government of enabling the violence as part of a drive to expand control over Palestinian land. Amnesty estimates that about 750,000 Israeli settlers now live in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem. Settlements in occupied territory are illegal under international law.
Why this matters for Pakistan
Pakistan has consistently condemned settler violence against Palestinians and supports a two-state solution with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of an independent Palestinian state. This month Islamabad urged the United Nations to deliver on the right of self-determination for both Kashmir and Palestine, and it has repeatedly condemned Israeli strikes on Gaza that have killed civilians.
Related: Pakistan Urges UN to Deliver Self-Determination for Kashmir and Palestine
Feature Pakistan has also followed the pro-Palestinian marches held in European cities in recent weeks, and will continue to track the situation in the occupied territories.
Related: Pro-Palestinian Marches Cross Westminster Bridge in London
Frequently asked questions
Where is Mikhmas?
Mikhmas is a Palestinian village in the central West Bank, between Ramallah and Jerusalem. It lies near several Israeli settlement outposts whose residents have attacked the community several times in recent months.
What did the Israeli military say about the mosque fire?
The military said soldiers were dispatched to Mikhmas after reports of graffiti and arson at the mosque, along with damage to a vehicle. It said no suspects were identified and that an investigation had been opened.
Are Israeli settlements in the West Bank legal?
No. Settlements in occupied territory are illegal under international law. Amnesty International estimates that about 750,000 Israeli settlers now live in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.
