Israeli settlers set fire to West Bank mosques after deadly clash

Updated: July 26, 2026 | 5:54 PM IST Location: Qusra, West Bank Source: Reuters

Overview

Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank early on Sunday (July 26, 2026), setting fire to two mosques and scrawling graffiti on buildings, Palestinian officials reported.

Background: Friday's Deadly Clash

On Friday (July 24), four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers — one of whom was serving as a local security coordinator — were killed when a crowd of Israeli settlers made an incursion near the Palestinian village of Tal, southwest of Nablus.

Villagers emerged from their homes to confront the settlers, officials said. The ensuing shootout is part of a growing series of clashes involving settlers, in which dozens of Palestinians have been killed and hundreds wounded this year, according to figures from the United Nations and the Palestinian Authority.

Sunday's Attacks

Qusra Village

Abdel Azim Wadi, head of the village council in Qusra (southeast of Nablus), said settlers torched a newly completed mosque in his village early on Sunday. He reported that attackers sprayed slogans in Hebrew on the walls, including messages such as "Jewish revenge" and the name of one of the Israelis killed near Tal.

"The village has faced repeated attacks since 2011, and these attacks have increased since the war," Wadi told Reuters by telephone.

Kour Village

Palestinian officials said settlers also attempted to burn a mosque near Kour, southeast of the city of Tulkarm. Farid Jiyousi, a member of the village council, stated that three settlers tried to set the mosque ablaze at dawn, but worshippers extinguished the fire before it reached the main prayer area.

"This is the first attack our village has experienced," Jiyousi said, adding that the attackers had also sprayed Hebrew graffiti on the mosque walls.

Israeli Military Response

The Israeli military confirmed that troops sent to Qusra — which sits near several large Israeli settlements — found graffiti and signs of arson and were searching for suspects. Police officers will be dispatched to collect evidence.

"The security forces strongly condemn incidents of this kind, including harm to religious sites, and will continue to act decisively to maintain security and public order in the area," the military stated.

Legal and Political Context

Most countries and United Nations bodies consider Jewish settlements in the West Bank illegal — a position Israel rejects. Palestinians seek to establish an independent state in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.

Since Israel launched a war against Gaza's Palestinian Hamas rulers in October 2023 — following Gaza militants killing more than 1,000 Israelis — settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank have increased sharply.

Following Friday's incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who faces an election in October — ordered a reinforcement of troops in the area and said more settlements would be authorized to increase security. Right-wing politicians in his government, including the hardline finance minister, have voiced support for expanded settlement activity.