Middle East Monitor / January 24, 2020
Suspected Jewish right-wing extremists attacked a Palestinian mosque in the Beit Safafa neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem pre-dawn today, reported Haaretz.
A blaze broke out inside the mosque, which was quickly brought under control by the emergency services, causing damage but no casualties.
In addition, graffiti was left on the mosque walls referring to the settler outpost “Kumi Ori”.
“Destroy for Jews?” read the graffiti, “Destroy for enemies!”
Earlier this month, Israeli occupation forces demolished two structures on Kumi Ori Hill, after the Supreme Court rejected a petition against the outpost’s demolition.
During the demolition, a settler was arrested for assaulting Israeli forces.
Israeli reports noted that “settlers at the outpost have been involved in several violent altercations with Israeli forces, including throwing stones”, and have also “committed a number of hate crimes” in Palestinian villages throughout the West Bank.
The settlement outpost is located close to Yitzhar, a notorious base of right-wing extremism.
There are more than one hundred “illegal” – under Israeli law – outposts across the occupied West Bank. All settlements, authorised and unauthorised, are illegal under international law.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque compound early Friday, “attempting to clear its grounds after the morning prayer and arresting at least 13”.
