Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques in the occupied West Bank early on Sunday, Palestinian officials said, in what they described as revenge attacks after a deadly confrontation two days earlier. The arson, which caused extensive damage to a newly built mosque in Qusra and another in Kour, followed a Friday shootout near the village of Tell, south of Nablus, that left four Palestinians and two Israelis dead. Graffiti sprayed on the Qusra mosque walls read “revenge for Benayahu,” referring to an Israeli security guard killed in the clash, and “the land of Israel is redeemed with blood.”

The Israeli military condemned the mosque attacks and said it was working with police to investigate, while acknowledging that troops had found signs of arson and graffiti. However, Palestinian officials and human rights groups note that such investigations rarely result in arrests or prosecutions of settlers. In parallel, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a sweeping security operation across the West Bank. Troops raided villages, imposed roadblocks, and detained more than 130 Palestinians over the weekend, according to the military. The army also sealed the homes of two Palestinians it identified as responsible for Friday’s violence, preparing them for demolition — a practice Israel says deters future attacks. Netanyahu said forces were “prepared to operate on a broader scale against the terrorist nests.”

Palestinian Authority officials described the settler attacks as part of a “systematic pogrom” supported by the Israeli state. Nablus Governor Ghassan Douglas, in an interview with the Jerusalem Post, argued that Netanyahu’s government, facing elections in October, was reluctant to confront violent settlers for fear of alienating its right-wing base. Israeli security officials have previously warned that extremist settler violence constitutes a national security risk. The Palestinian health ministry says 87 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank this year, while UN figures show over 1,100 killed since the Gaza war began in October 2023. Most countries and UN bodies consider Israeli settlements in the occupied territory illegal under international law. Pope Leo XIV, in his Sunday prayer, appealed for both sides to reject unilateral actions and respect the status quo of holy sites.

The weekend’s events have deepened tensions in the northern West Bank, an area that has seen a sharp rise in settler attacks, including livestock theft, arson, and mosque defacement. The Israeli military said police would collect evidence and search for suspects in the mosque fires, but no arrests were immediately reported. Settlers remained camped near Tell, and Palestinian residents warned of further escalation if no measures are taken to restrain them. The Palestinian Authority has appealed to foreign governments and the European Union to intervene, while the Israeli government has signalled it will accelerate the legalisation of settlement outposts in response to the violence. The dossier remains open, with the military’s investigation ongoing and the prospect of further demolitions and operations looming.