Committed by the 'Price Tag' group.. The crime of burning the entrance of a mosque west of Nablus
A mosque's entrance in the West Bank was set ablaze by settlers affiliated with the 'Price Tag' group amid rising tensions and increased attacks on places of worship.
In the West Bank, incidents of violence against places of worship are becoming more frequent, highlighting the escalating tensions and the growing incidence of settler attacks. Early on Monday, settlers set fire to the entrance of a mosque located between the villages of Qusra and Tal, southwest of Nablus, leaving behind racist and inciting graffiti that included terms like "revenge" and references to the 'Price Tag' group. The fire caused damage to the gate and the outer facade of the mosque, although local residents quickly extinguished the flames to prevent them from spreading inside the building.
According to Al Jazeera's correspondent, Laith Jiar, settlers had also infiltrated the mosque during the night, where they wrote racist slogans and offensive phrases connected to the 'Price Tag' groups, allegedly before breaking the door down and pouring flammable substances that ignited parts of the mosque's interior. Surveillance footage apparently captured two settlers believed to be affiliated with the 'Price Tag' group approaching from the nearby settlement of 'Hafad Gilad' to carry out the arson before fleeing the scene.
This incident reflects the ongoing climate of animosity and violence in the region, underscoring the risks faced by religious sites in the West Bank. The repeated targeting of such places not only endangers their sanctity but also contributes to a cycle of retaliation, raising concerns about the broader implications for peace and coexistence in an already volatile landscape.