Israeli settlers torch mosque in Ramallah-area village

[Jefferson23]

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- A group of Israeli settlers set fire inside a mosque in the Palestinian village of al-Mughayyir near Ramallah early Wednesday, locals told Ma'an.

Worshipers said that when they went to the mosque to perform dawn prayer around 4:30 a.m., they saw smoke and flames coming from the first floor of the two-story building.

The first floor was seriously damaged, and the second floor was lightly damaged, they said.

They said the settlers left behind racist slogans in Hebrew on the outer walls of the mosque.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=739391

[DetlefK]

1. It would only be fair to tear down the houses of the arsonists.

[Jefferson23]

2. West Bank mosque set on fire; synagogue firebombed in northern Israel

Damage done to ancient synagogue in Galilee; Palestinians blame settlers for burnt mosque.


By Jack Khoury and The Associated Press | Nov. 12, 2014 |

A mosque near the Palestinian city of Ramallah was set on fire early on Wednesday, in what Palestinian reports say was a hate crime attack by settlers. Meanwhile, an ancient synagogue in northern Israel was attacked. No one was hurt in both incidents.

Witnesses told the Palestinian news agency Ma'an that when worshipers arrived at the mosque, in the village of Mughayer, for morning prayers, they saw the mosque burning, and were able to extinguish the fire.

The second floor of the mosque suffered extensive damage, the report said, and some damage was done to the second floor. The assailants also sprayed anti-Palestinian graffiti, the report said.

Mayor Faraj al-Naasan said he had no doubt that Jewish settlers were responsible, citing a previous settler attack against another mosque in the village two years ago and frequent settler attacks against vehicles and olive groves there.

"Only Jewish settlers would do this," he said.

Also early on Wednesday, a fire bomb was thrown at the ancient synagogue in Shfaram, an Arab community in northern Israel. Police said no one was hurt in the incident and that some damage was done to the building. A resident of Shfaram told Haaertz, however, that the firebomb exploded outside the synagogue, and no damage was done to the building.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.625991

[Jefferson23]

3. Islamic Jihad: We will respond 'at any moment' to torching of West Bank mosque

The Islamic Jihad on Wednesday vowed to respond "at any moment" to an arson attack against a mosque in the West Bank earlier in the day that Palestinians blamed on settlers.

The organization said in the aftermath of the mosque torching in the village of Al-Maghir, east of Ramallah, that "the terrorism of the settlers and the occupation army will be met with a Palestinian will that doesn't accept submission and surrender. "

The statement added that "those who encourage and allow attacks on mosques and against Palestinians should expect a response."

Residents of the village of Al-Maghir reported that a mosque was set on fire early Wednesday, around 3:30 a.m.

The residents said the lower floor of the mosque was damaged. They said they also discovered anti-Arab graffiti on the walls of the mosque, which lies in the western part of the village.

The villagers claimed that "settlers" were behind the arson. A Palestinian Authority security official in the West Bank also blamed "extremist settlers" for the arson.

An investigation into the circumstances of the incident has already begun.

http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Islamic-Jihad-We-will-respond-at-any-moment-to-torching-of-West-Bank-mosque-381586

[msongs]

4. Israelites are not "settlers", they are invaders...nice propaganda nt

[Mosby]

5. Invading their historic homeland

Where the Israelites have been living continuously for 3500 years.

[Scootaloo]

10. And burning mosques as they do so, apparently

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

11. When they're not bulldozing them...

Salt of the earth they are.

[Scootaloo]

12. "Salted earth" does come to mind, yes n/t

[azurnoir]

6. so the perpetrators will be arrest shortly, right?

I'm sure there is an investigation on going

[Jefferson23]

7. Yep, like always, lol. n/t

[azurnoir]

9. after a thorough

and most likely lengthy investigation

[azurnoir]

13. and here we go already

According to an unnamed police source, the incident occurred in the center of the village, unlike previous extremist attacks.

The source also added that no racist graffiti was found at the scene, conflicting earlier Palestinian news reports.

Israeli Police were unable to entirely rule out the option that this was a nationalist attack, as Palestinian authorities refused their entry to the village and did not allow them to conduct a wide-scale investigation.

Earlier, Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said police were deployed near the entrance to Mughayir but that “disturbances in the area” were preventing them from opening an investigation.

Rosenfeld did not elaborate on the extent of the disturbances but attacks such as the one in Mughayir frequently ignite violent protests.

Read more: Police unsure of motives behind burned West Bank mosque | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/police-not-sure-of-motives-behind-burned-west-bank-mosque/#ixzz3IuHW1ZQs

so they did not enter the area but yet 'know' there wasn't any graffiti

[Jefferson23]

14. I'm sure they're trying their best...ahem. n/t

[Jefferson23]

8. WATCH: 'There's no peace in Jerusalem'

Since before this summer’s war, Palestinian youth in East Jerusalem have been clashing with Israeli police on an almost daily basis. Head of the Issawiya Monitoring Committee explains that the youths are closed in by the wall and have nothing to do but throw stones. ‘This is the terror of the occupation: soldiers chasing children.’

#t=0

http://972mag.com/watch-theres-no-peace-in-jerusalem/98644/