Israeli settlers attempted to burn a mosque in the occupied West Bank village of Tell on Monday morning, the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Religious Affairs said.
"The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs condemns the attempt by a group of settlers to burn part of the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Mosque in Tell Village, near Nablus, and to graffiti its walls with racist slogans," the ministry said in a statement, launching Al Arabiya from AFP (24/2).
The ministry noted an increase in attacks on mosques in the West Bank, with a total of 45 attacks in 2025.
"The burning of part of the mosque clearly shows the barbarity achieved by the Israeli racist instigation machine against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Palestine," the ministry said.
An AFP journalist on the ground reported burnt carpets, a broken front door, blackened walls and windows from the fire. However, there was no structural damage as the fire did not spread throughout the building.
The governor of the Nablus region, which includes Tell, Ghassan Daghlas, condemned the attack in a video posted on social media.
"They burned the mosque, and we are the ones who rebuilt it. This is our land, Palestinian land," he said, holding a water hose to clean up the debris at the site.
Separately, the Israeli military said in a statement to AFP that army and police forces "were sent to the Tell area following reports and footage received after the incident regarding a suspect who burned a mosque and sprayed graffiti."
"No injuries were reported," and troops were searching for the suspects, the statement added.
Excluding East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed, more than 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements and outposts, which are illegal under international law.
Around three million Palestinians live in the territory, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967.
Although most Israeli settlers are not involved in violence, a small group of militants have been linked to attacks on Palestinians.
The current Israeli government, considered one of the most right-wing governments in the country's history, has accelerated settlement expansion and recognized several outposts.
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