Mosque Torched in West Bank Amid Rising Tensions, Arrests Made

Eight suspects, aged 16 to 20, were arrested overnight in the southern Hebron Hills region on suspicion of involvement in several serious arson and assault incidents. During the arrests, three vehicles believed to have been used in the offenses were seized. Simultaneously, Jewish perpetrators set fire to a mosque in the village of Azaria in Samaria and spray-painted graffiti at the site. No arrests have been made in connection with the mosque incident.

These events occur just days after riots in Qusra, which involved over 70 perpetrators. In that incident, no suspects have yet been arrested. Following the Qusra riots, the Shin Bet and police compiled a list of participants, and arrest warrants have been issued for some of the organizers. A series of violent incidents in recent times has heightened fears of escalation in Judea and Samaria.

The arrests in the southern Hebron Hills were part of an investigation by the inter-organizational command of the Judea and Samaria district. The eight suspects, residents of Judea and Samaria and central Israel, were arrested and transferred for questioning. Police intend to bring them before a court to request an extension of their detention, and the investigation is ongoing.

In parallel to the arrests, Jewish perpetrators set fire to a mosque in Azaria, spraying graffiti that read, "Evacuations = Trouble. You have been warned." The mosque arson follows riots in Qusra on Saturday, where over 70 Israeli rioters attacked a Palestinian home. Several Palestinians were injured, and no arrests were made at the scene.

Security officials believe the Qusra raid was a planned operation involving vehicle procurement, funding, and legal assistance preparation. The police are collecting testimonies from soldiers present and have summoned owners of vehicles suspected of being used by the rioters. The IDF, Shin Bet, and police are working together to address nationalist crime, with the police stating they "condemn and view with severity acts of violence and damage that harm the country's security and the entire settlement enterprise."