Settler Violence Out Of Control: Extremists Torch a Mosque

Extremist Israeli settlers broke into a mosque in the Palestinian village of Luban al-Sharqiyya (near Nablus, North of West Bank) on Tuesday early morning, gathered flammables and set them fire, seriously damaging the 80% of the mosque.

 “Yet another example of the nonchalance of Israeli authorities in the face of violence by settlers and extremists against Palestinians” was how Dr Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative commented Israel’s Civil Administration reaction after the incident. After an investigation was initiated by police, Israeli investigators raised doubts on villagers’ complaints and said that the “blaze may have been accidental and provoked by an electrical malfunction, a short -circuit”.

But cars approaching the mosque were heard by local residents at 3.00 am on Tuesday morning and Jamal Daramaghmeh, Mayor of the village, a village which is surrounded by three settlements, Eli, Shilo and Ma’ale Levona, said to the press that “were settlers to set fire to the mosque” and that “residents of the entire area have been victim of other cases of settler violence which has become a brutal daily routine”.

Settler violence figures reveal that in the last three years the number of Palestinian casualties have been steadily increasing. 2009 saw 290 recorded incidents of settlers targeting Palestinians and their property. A worrying trend which reflects how Palestinians live in a state of constant aggression.

In the Nablus area several similar incidents occurred in the last months. In April another similar attack on a religious building was carried out by settlers, who desecrated a mosque in the village of Huwwara, spraying graffiti on the walls, representing a Jewish Star of David. Two days later, fire was set to two Palestinian vehicles, in the same area.  Last December, the mosque of Yasuf was vandalized: settlers torched prayer mats and Muslim holy books and sprayed walls with graffiti. Although Israeli police arrested youths from Yitzhar settlement, nobody was charged.

 “There has been no effective law enforcement against acts of violence and harassment, these cases are never prosecuted by the Israeli government,” said Barghouthi referring to several examples and images of such attacks. “Israel does not protect civilians from settlers, who enjoy open impunity. Over 90% of investigations into settler violence are closed without an indictment being filed.”  

Once again, the incident occurred in Luban al-Sharqiyya can be considered as part of the “price tag” policy carried out by settlers following the Israeli Army’s demolition of 6 structures in Sharei Shomron settlement (near Nablus). The price- tag policy has clearly been highlighted in a report issued by OCHA in 2009: the report, which explains this new pattern of violence that has been emerging since 2008, identifies Nablus and Hebron as the most affected areas suffering high level of settler violence.

The report defines refers to a price tag strategy for those incidents in which "groups of settlers attempt to exact a “price” against Palestinians and their property in response to attempts by the Israeli authorities to dismantle “unauthorized” settlement outposts.”