Palestinians stand next to scorched copies of the Koran inside in the Hajja Hamida Mosque after it was reportedly set on fire and vandalised by Israeli settlers in the Palestinian village of Deir Istiya, near Salfit in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. AFP
In a statement, Al-Azhar, the world's leading Sunni Muslim institution, described the arson as "an act it said reflects the brutal behaviour of those who show no respect for the sanctity of houses of worship and harbour deep-seated hatred toward anything Islamic."
Al-Azhar stressed that attacking mosques and violating their sanctity is a grave crime that targets not only places of worship but also the sentiments of Muslims—and believers of all faiths—around the world.
Such assaults, it added, constitute a blatant violation of religious teachings, ethical values, and international norms and laws, and form part of the occupation’s ongoing policies aimed at Judaizing all of Palestine and altering its religious and historical identity.
Al-Azhar warned of the dangers of allowing this pattern of terrorism to continue, noting that such actions seek to impose a fait accompli through force and intimidation under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.
It called on the international community, UN institutions, and all relevant bodies to uphold their legal and moral responsibilities, take swift and serious measures to halt these crimes, hold perpetrators accountable, and end the settlers’ longstanding impunity.
Israeli settlers on Thursday torched and defaced to Al-Hajja Hamida Mosque in a Palestinian village in the central West Bank overnight, scribbling hateful messages in a show of defiance.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday issued a strong condemnation of the attack carried out by Israeli settlers against a mosque in the occupied West Bank.
Violence by Israeli soldiers and settlers in the occupied West Bank has surged since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. According to official figures, more than 1,070 Palestinians have been killed and more than 10,300 injured in that period.
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