West Bank Mosque Set Ablaze by Settlers Amidst Israeli Forces' Village Raids

Israeli settlers have set fire to a mosque, an olive tree, and a vehicle in the occupied West Bank. This incident occurred as Israeli forces continue to conduct raids across the territory. According to the Palestinian news agency, Wafa, the settlers initiated the fires during a raid on the village of Mikhmas early on Wednesday. Online reports indicate that settlers spray-painted racist slogans on the mosque's walls, as well as on other buildings and Palestinian homes. The article notes a surge in pogroms by settlers across the occupied Palestinian territory since Israel commenced its war on Gaza three years ago. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have previously accused the Israeli government of facilitating settler violence to expand Israeli control over Palestinian land.

In separate incidents in the West Bank on Wednesday, settlers attacked a Palestinian boy in Beita, south of Nablus. Concurrently, Israeli forces arrested three Palestinians following a raid in Qalqilya. Palestinian news outlet Quds News Network reported that troops also raided the village of Tammun and deployed tear gas. The article highlights that with the olive harvest season underway in the West Bank, Israeli settlers have been actively working to intimidate and hinder Palestinian farmers, whose livelihoods depend on this crop. Amnesty International states that approximately 750,000 settlers reside illegally in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, emphasizing that settlements in occupied territory are illegal under international law.