Jewish settlers torch Palestinian house in West Bank

Jerusalem, Nov 23 (IANS) Jewish settlers allegedly set ablaze a Palestinian house in West Bank overnight, media reports said Sunday.

Police said the suspected hate crime took place in the village of Khirbat Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah. Star of David and anti-Arab graffiti in Hebrew were spray-painted on the house, bearing the words “Death to the Arabs” and “Avenge the blood of the fallen servants”, Xinhua reported.

Israel Times quoted the mayor of Masud Abu Mura village as saying that around 4 a.m. settlers arrived at the village and hurled firebombs at the house, setting it on fire. The house “was partially burned down” and four women, who were inside the building at the time, managed to escape unharmed.

Earlier this month, a mosque was set ablaze in the Palestinian village of al-Maghir near Ramallah, in another suspected hate crime by Jewish settlers.

Such attacks are known in Israel as “price tag” attacks, in which Jewish extremists vandalise Palestinian property or religious sites, including mosques, churches, olive trees, vehicles and buildings.

Tensions have escalated between Palestinians and Israelis throughout Israel and West Bank in recent weeks, especially over the flashpoint Al Aqsa mosque compound, a holy site in Jerusalem which is sacred to both Muslims and Jews.

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