Mosque torched in Jiljilya, West Bank, in overnight attack
A mosque in the West Bank village of Jiljilya was set on fire overnight, causing extensive damage to the building and prompting condemnation from Palestinian officials. Residents said they heard explosions shortly after 2 a.m. before smoke rose from the mosque. The incident was one of two reported attacks on mosques overnight in villages north of Ramallah.
Sponsored
According to the local imam, 15 to 20 tyres were burned inside the ablution area, leaving walls and doors blackened by soot and cracking floor tiles from the heat. Hebrew graffiti, including the word "revenge" and references to detainees, was sprayed on the exterior walls. The mosque is in Area A of the occupied West Bank, which is administered by the Palestinian Authority and is generally off-limits to Israeli civilians.
The attack adds to concern over a wider rise in violence linked to Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian officials said dozens of mosques and churches across the territory have been vandalised or damaged since the start of 2026. Local residents returned to the site on Wednesday morning to clear debris and clean the damaged areas, underlining the immediate disruption caused by the fire.
The incident is significant because religious sites are often seen as highly sensitive flashpoints in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Damage to a mosque in Area A also raises questions about security and enforcement in an area where the Palestinian Authority has civil control. The reported graffiti, including references to detainees, suggests the attack may have carried a political message as well as causing physical destruction.
Sponsored
The mosque attack comes amid a broader pattern of settler-linked violence that Palestinian leaders say has intensified this year. The supporting material says the Jiljilya fire was one of two mosque attacks reported overnight north of Ramallah, indicating that the incident was not isolated. It also follows a series of reported vandalism and damage to religious buildings across the occupied West Bank since the beginning of 2026.
At the time of reporting, Israeli police and military authorities had not publicly commented on the incident. It remains unclear who carried out the attack and whether any arrests have been made. What happens next will depend on whether investigators identify suspects and whether there is any official response to calls for stronger protection of religious sites and accountability for those responsible.
Sponsored
