Despite the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza, extremist acts by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank are intensifying day by day, posing a grave threat to religious and communal harmony. In a severe act of aggression last Thursday, a mosque in the village of Deir Istiya was attacked, set on fire, and vandalized with hateful slogans written across its walls.
News agency reports confirmed that during the attack, three copies of the Holy Quran were desecrated and destroyed. This act of violence against a place of worship and the sacred texts has deeply wounded the sentiments of the Palestinian community.
In a powerful display of resilience, local Palestinians refused to be subdued by the act of terror. Residents swiftly organized to clean the damaged mosque themselves and, the very next day, held communal Friday prayers in the targeted mosque, demonstrating their rejection of submission to the aggressors.
The violence has drawn sharp international rebuke. The United Nations has strongly condemned the rising frequency of attacks in the West Bank. Furthermore, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced concern over the provocations by the settlers, warning that such incidents could negatively impact the diplomatic efforts being made regarding Gaza.
