Palestinian body monitors escalation in settlers' attacks on places of worship

Ramallah, October 14 (KUNA) -- The Anti-Wall and Settlement Resistance Authority reported on Wednesday that it had documented 23 incidents of arson or attempted arson targeting Palestinian mosques and their affiliated facilities since January 2023 up to October 11. In a report, the authority stated that the tally reveals a notable escalation in attacks on places of worship, particularly during the current year, within a broader context of violations targeting the Palestinian presence, institutions, and property in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.

For its part, the Jerusalem Governorate said in a statement that settlers set fire to a mosque in the town of Mukhmas, northeast of occupied Jerusalem, early today, as well as to a vehicle and an olive tree near the mosque, causing material damage to its entrance.

The Anti-Wall and Settlement Resistance Authority added that “this crime comes in the context of escalating attacks targeting Palestinian places of worship and reveals the extension of settler violence to religious and civilian facilities within population centers, going beyond attacks on land and property to target places that form an essential part of the religious and social life of Palestinians.”

It clarified that records for 2026 show a widening geographic scope of the attacks and their recurrence within short time intervals. It stressed that these data call for an analysis that goes beyond individual incidents to examine the nature of the environment in which the attacks occur, noting that targeting mosques constitutes an assault on facilities with religious and social functions that are part of the institutional framework and daily life of Palestinian communities.

It affirmed that the losses are not limited to their material impact but extend to the sense of security, freedom to practice religious rites, and the ability of residents to conduct their public lives without fear of attack. (End) N.Q. / S.M.A.