Article:
A despicable act of vandalism has taken place in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli settlers have destroyed a mosque and written hate-filled messages on its walls during the holy month of Ramadan. According to the Palestinian News Agency, Wafa, worshipers arrived at the mosque for the Fajr prayer only to find evidence of arson, black smoke, and broken glass at the entrance. Eyewitness Muneeb Ramadan told the media that security cameras captured two individuals approaching the mosque with petrol and spray cans before fleeing a few minutes later.
The settlement is expected to be a military base with over 5,000 troops and will cover an area of over 350 acres. The military base will serve as an operating base for the future International Stability Force. Arab media reported that the attackers wrote racist slogans and phrases like “revenge” and “price tag” on the walls, which are used by settlers to attack Palestinians.
This incident is part of a recent surge in Israeli settler violence and military brutality in the West Bank. According to the Palestinian Authority, 45 mosques were targeted in the West Bank last year, and local residents claim that the attack on the mosque during Ramadan is an attempt to provoke Muslim worshippers.
Israeli forces and police have claimed to be investigating the incident and searching for the perpetrators, but human rights organizations have pointed out that settlers often act with complete impunity. According to Ghazza Center for Human Rights, Israeli forces have violated the ceasefire 134 times in the Gaza Strip, with 133 days of ceasefire violations since the start of the war.
The United Nations has reported that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 2023, and the UN Human Rights Council has warned that Israeli policies aim to displace the Palestinian population and alter the demographic structure of the region, which is a war crime.
In other news, a helicopter crash killed four people, including a pilot and a medical assistant, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Former British Ambassador Peter Mandelson was arrested in London for allegedly using his position for personal gain. In a separate incident, a 21-year-old man was arrested in Lucknow, India, for allegedly killing his father.
In Venezuela, the government has called for the immediate release of President Nicolas Maduro and his party. In Mexico, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” was killed in a military operation. His girlfriend, who was being monitored by the authorities, played a key role in the operation.
In other news, the UK government has been accused of refusing to repatriate undocumented migrants and criminals from Pakistan and other countries. European Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell has warned that the situation in Iran is “very, very serious” and that the EU does not need another war in the region.
In Pakistan, the Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. In India, the Supreme Court has been asked to review the election tribunal’s decision in the election of PTI-backed candidate Yasmin Rashid.
In a separate incident, a comedian, Haniya Nafees, has joked about her experiences traveling around the world, saying that Dubai and Sharjah are like a “lantern show” for her. In Pakistan, the Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, has praised her team for reducing prices. She has appealed to the public to boycott retailers who do not follow the retail price list.
In another incident, police have arrested two suspects in Sialkot and Narowal.
