Tensions are on the rise in the Occupied Territories amidst a wave of attacks by Israeli settlers and troops. Israeli police say they have arrested suspects accused of vandalizing and setting fire to two Palestinian mosques. The mosques were hit as part of a settler-backed “Price Tag” campaign, a vow to target Palestinians in response to the dismantling of “unauthorized” outposts outside of the major Israeli settlement blocs that already carve up Palestinian land. The settlers recently extended their vandalism to an Israeli army base in the West Bank, an incident that may have spurred the Israeli military to finally take action. No one had been arrested in any of the three previous arson attacks in the West Bank over the past year. Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades at a crowd of Palestinian youths who had gathered to protest an Israeli demolition of a Palestinian home. A member of the family owning the property denounced the Israeli military.

Halima Al Khatib: “They raided us around 6:00 a.m. Since the morning, occupation forces and their intelligence forces came here. They imposed curfew to prevent anyone from reaching the house, and they isolated us in the house and beat up the men. Then they demolished the house. I say God will take revenge at them.”