Israeli settlers accused of torching West Bank mosques after deadly clashes

Sunday 26 July 2026 - 11:30

By: Sahili Aya

Israeli settlers accused of torching West Bank mosques after deadly clashes

Tensions have intensified in the occupied West Bank after Palestinian officials accused Israeli settlers of attacking villages and setting fire to two mosques following a deadly confrontation earlier in the week.

The incidents occurred early on Sunday in villages near Nablus, where local authorities reported damage to religious sites and buildings, including graffiti allegedly calling for revenge after the death of an Israeli reserve soldier.

In Qusra, residents said a mosque was damaged during the attack, with messages painted on its walls referencing Benayahu Mellet, a 32-year-old Israeli reserve soldier who was killed during a shooting near the Palestinian village of Tal.

The Israeli military said that police were investigating an alleged arson attack, while authorities continued examining the circumstances surrounding the violence.

The latest unrest follows a deadly confrontation on Friday, when four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers, including a local security coordinator, were killed during an incident involving Israeli settlers near Tal, southwest of Nablus.

The escalation adds to already heightened tensions across the West Bank, where violence involving settlers, Palestinian residents and Israeli security forces has increased in recent months.

Palestinian officials have repeatedly warned about attacks by extremist settlers, while Israeli authorities have said that individuals responsible for violent acts should face legal action.

The situation remains closely monitored as fears grow that further incidents could trigger additional unrest in the territory, which has been at the centre of decades of Israeli-Palestinian conflict.