Israeli settlers burned vehicles and tried to set fire to a mosque in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, the Palestinian News Agency reported, as the Israeli military deployed troops to quell violent unrest among so-called “Israeli civilians.”
Settlers launched two attacks in the West Bank on Sunday night, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
In the village of Burka, east of Ramallah, a group of settlers set fire to a car, broke the door of a mosque and set the entrance on fire before fleeing, Wafa reported.
Witnesses told AFP that residents had managed to put out the blaze.
In a separate incident in the nearby village of Deir Dibwan, settlers set fire to two cars, Wafa reported.
The Israeli military confirmed it had dispatched troops to various locations in the West Bank following reports of arson and unrest.
“Not long ago, security forces were dispatched to various locations in the area of responsibility of the Benyamin Brigade following reports of arson and violent disturbances by Israeli civilians,” the military said in a statement.
“Troops are currently operating in various locations to break up disturbances, extinguish fires and prevent further friction.
“The security forces strongly condemn all acts of violence. The troops will continue to maintain law and order in Judea and Samaria,” the military said, referring to the territory named after the Bible.
The violence comes just days after the United Nations warned that settler violence in the West Bank has reached record levels, with an average of six attacks a day causing casualties or property damage.
The United Nations says more than 2,200 Palestinians have been displaced this year by settler violence or access restrictions. Hundreds more people were displaced as Israeli authorities demolished their homes, the report added.
More than 500,000 Israelis live in the West Bank (excluding annexed East Jerusalem) in settlements considered illegal by the United Nations under international law.
Three million Palestinians also live there.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
Violence in the West Bank has escalated since the Gaza War, which was triggered by an unprecedented attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on October 7, 2023.
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This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
