Within 24 Hours, Israeli Settlers and Extremists Set Two Mosques Ablaze in Separate Incidences

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The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns, in the strongest terms, the criminal arson attack on two mosques, one by Israeli extremists in West Jerusalem and another by Jewish settlers in Burqa village, east of Ramallah.

PCHR states that the cover, support and protection provided by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) to settlers and Jewish extremists, encourage them to continue to commit systematic crimes against Palestinian civilians.

In light of the current escalation of attacks by Israeli settlers, PCHR calls upon the international community to immediately act to provide protection for Palestinian civilians from crimes by Israeli settlers’, which remain unpunished in Israeli courts and occur systematically alongside IOF violence.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 04:30 on Thursday, 15 December 2011, a number of residents of Burqa village, east of Ramallah, arrived at al-Nour Mosque, in the north of the village, for the Dawn Prayer. The residents noticed smoke evaporating from the third floor of the mosque, which is designed for women. The residents immediately went to the third floor where they found that a fire had broken out and so extinguished it. According to sources of the local village council, carpets, lights, ceiling fans, walls and windows were heavily damaged. Palestinian civilians found statements written in Hebrew on the wall saying: “War, Death.” It should be noted that the first floor of the mosque serves as an elementary school, the second one is designed for male prayers and the third one is designed for female prayers. “Kfar Assaf” settlement outpost is located nearly 500 meters to the north of the mosque, while “Kfar Magharon” settlement outpost is located nearly one kilometer to the east of the mosque.

Similarly, on Wednesday morning, 14 December 2011, a group of Jewish extremists set fire to Nabi Ukasha Mosque, which is controlled by Jewish extremists in West Jerusalem. They also wrote statements insulting the Prophet Mohammed. Baroch Marzil, a Jewish extremist, claimed responsibility for the attack, allegedly in response to incitement against settlers. IOF have prevented Palestinians from praying in the mosque, but have allowed settlers to establish a playground for their children on its yard.

PCHR has repeatedly warned of escalated attacks by Israeli settlers and extremist groups against Palestinian civilians and their property. PCHR condemns the arson attack on the two mosques and all other attacks launched by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and:

1. Calls for stopping the permanent protection and coverage provided by IOF to Israeli settlers, which serves to encourage them to commit more crimes against Palestinian civilians;

2. Calls upon the international community to exert pressure on the government of Israel to fulfill their obligations under international law and remove all aspects of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt);

3. Reminds the international community that settlement in itself constitutes a war crime, and, therefore, calls on the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, individually or collectively, to fulfill their legal and moral obligations and ensure Israeli’s respect for, and application of, the Convention in the oPt in accordance with Article 1 of the Convention.

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