Germany Condemns Arson Attack on West Bank Mosque by Extremist Israeli Settlers

Germany has strongly condemned the latest attack by extremist Israeli settlers who torched a mosque in the West Bank, amid growing concerns over rising settler violence in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In a statement posted on social media on Thursday, the German Foreign Ministry denounced the arson attack on a mosque in Deir Istiya, a Palestinian village in the central West Bank.

“The recent surge in violence by extremist settlers is deeply concerning. This violence must be halted, incidents must be thoroughly investigated, and those responsible held accountable,” the ministry said.

Local authorities and media reports confirmed that Israeli settlers set fire to and vandalised the mosque overnight on Wednesday. The attack comes amid an escalation of violence by both the Israeli military and settlers since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023.

Palestinian officials report that more than 1,070 Palestinians have been killed and over 10,300 injured in the West Bank during this period.

The UN and several human rights organisations have documented hundreds of settler attacks in 2024 and 2025, including arson, vandalism, and physical assaults. Many of these incidents reportedly occur in the presence of Israeli forces, who often fail to intervene.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice issued a landmark advisory opinion declaring Israel’s decades-long occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza illegal under international law. The court called for the evacuation of all settlements and an end to measures altering the demographic structure of the occupied territories.