Israeli Settlers Set Fire to Mosque in West Bank Village of Mikhmas

What Happened

Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque in the West Bank village of Mikhmas on October 14, 2026, and spray‑painted Hebrew slogans on its outer walls. The fire burned the interior carpet and blackened the walls. Settlers also torched a car nearby. Israeli soldiers were sent after reports of graffiti, arson and vehicle damage, and an investigation was opened, though no suspects have been named.

Reaction

Atta Kanaan, who lives 50 metres from the mosque, said he heard glass breaking shortly after midnight, called the fire brigade and helped locals use extinguishers to limit the blaze. A journalist saw slogans such as “just because we are quiet doesn’t mean we are asleep” on the walls. Rouhi Fattouh, president of the Palestinian National Council, called the act “a barbaric act and a dangerous escalation in settler terrorism.” Villagers have formed night‑watch patrols after recent attacks on homes near settlement outposts.

Context

Mikhmas lies between Ramallah and Jerusalem and is surrounded by Israeli settlement outposts that have attacked the community in recent months. Settler violence in the occupied West Bank has risen, with Palestinians living under military occupation since 1967 alongside roughly half‑a‑million Israeli settlers.