West Bank – A Palestinian mosque was set alight in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday and graffiti in Hebrew at the scene suggested the attack was carried out by a far-right Israeli group, officials said.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
No one was hurt in the overnight attack in Al-Jaba’ah village near Bethlehem, during which the mosque’s windows were broken and something burning was thrown inside, Mayor No’man Hamdan said.
“God’s mercy and people’s alertness when the fire started prevented it from consuming the entire mosque. Part of the carpets burned,” he told Reuters.
Hamdan said Hebrew slogans had been scrawled on the walls, including “Revenge for the Land of Zion” and “Price Tag”, a phrase used by an ultra-nationalist Jewish group that has carried out scores of attacks on Palestinian targets since 2008.
The group has said “price tag” refers to the price the Israeli government would have to pay if it curbs Jewish settlements in the West Bank or accepts a Palestinian state.
Israeli TV showed footage of Hebrew graffiti on the walls that read “we want the redemption of Zion” and “revenge” alongside a Jewish Star of David.
Jewish vandals have targeted mosques, churches, Palestinian vehicles, dovish Israeli groups and even Israeli military bases in so called “price tag” attacks to protest Israeli government actions against settler activity.
Al-Jaba’ah is close to Gush Etzion, a large area of settlements just outside Bethlehem.
Israeli police said they were investigating the attack.
What are we Arabs?
I don’t believe anyone burnt their building but themselves, if they can attach a bomb to themselves and blow themselves up they can surely burn their own building and blame some one else, that is their style. And yes I bet some of them also know Hebrew.
Just like the Ferguson protesters this is a natural reaction to Jews being bullied in THEIR OWN LAND but foreign Arabs and even worse by the Israeli government and its soldiers.