Israeli Settlers Burn And Deface Mosques In Overnight Attack In Occupied West Bank

Israeli settlers vandalized two mosques in the Israeli-occupied West Bank overnight Tuesday, in what Palestinians say is part of an escalating wave of attacks deep in their villages and towns. Religious sites, mosques and churches, have become routine targets for Israeli settlers expanding their reach in the Palestinian territory, with dozens burnt or defaced thus far in 2026, including two earlier this week, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Affairs. The arsons were reported in Mazari al-Nubani and Jiljilya, two towns north of Ramallah in what is known as Area A, a part of the West Bank administered and policed by the Palestinian Authority and off-limits to Israelis. In Jiljilya, the Imam of the mosque Mohammad Khasib awoke to the sound of explosions. The 30-year-old Imam described seeing thick plumes of smoke billowing out of mosque's window in the early hours of the morning.