Daijiworld Media Network - Ramallah
Ramallah, Nov 14: A fresh wave of violence in the occupied West Bank has drawn sharp international condemnation after Israeli settlers allegedly set fire to the Hajja Hamida Mosque in Deir Istiya near Salfit at dawn on Thursday.
Local residents said the attackers torched the mosque, burned copies of the Quran and sprayed racist, anti-Palestinian graffiti on its walls. The blaze caused significant damage before villagers managed to extinguish it.
The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments and Affairs condemned the incident as a “heinous crime”, accusing Israel of systematically targeting Muslim and Christian holy sites in the occupied territories.
Two children killed in Beit Ummar raid
In a separate incident on the same day, two Palestinian children were shot dead when Israeli forces opened fire during a raid in Beit Ummar near Hebron, according to the Wafa news agency.
The latest surge in attacks coincides with the 2025 olive harvest season, during which settler violence typically escalates. The UN humanitarian office (OCHA) reported 167 settler-related attacks since October 1, injuring more than 150 Palestinians and damaging over 5,700 olive trees.
Experts say the violence has intensified under the backdrop of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians since October 2023, and amid increasing calls by far-right Israeli ministers for formal annexation of the West Bank. Rights groups say Israel already enforces a de facto system of annexation and apartheid across the region.
UN, Jordan, Germany and Switzerland condemn attack
The arson attack triggered a strong global response.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the organisation was “deeply disturbed”, calling attacks on places of worship “completely unacceptable”.
“Israel, as the occupying power, has a responsibility to protect the civilian population and ensure those responsible are held to account,” he said.
Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Israel’s government of fuelling extremism through “inflammatory rhetoric”, while Germany urged a full investigation and accountability. Switzerland said the attacks and continued settlement expansion “must stop”.
Calls for action, not statements
Palestinian officials have urged world powers to move beyond statements and take concrete measures, including suspending weapons transfers to Israel, amid what they describe as unchecked settler and military aggression.
Last week, Israeli settlers allegedly set fire to a Palestinian home in Khirbet Abu Falah near Ramallah while a family was inside. The UN said neighbours managed to contain the fire, but the mother sustained a leg fracture while fleeing.
With tensions soaring, the West Bank remains on edge as Palestinians brace for continued violence and demand stronger international intervention.