Nablus: Israeli occupiers attempted to set fire to a mosque in the northern West Bank early Tuesday, in the latest attack in the occupied territory, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. Local sources told Wafa that the occupiers tried to break into the Nur al-Din Zengi Mosque in the town of Bazariya, northwest of Nablus.

According to Anadolu Agency, after failing to force open the mosque's doors, they set fire to a room near the mosque and sprayed racist slogans at the site. Local sources indicated that the slogans included threats against Palestinians and a message to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee which read, 'Huckabee, greetings from the terrorists.' This follows Huckabee's recent remarks describing Israeli occupiers attacking Palestinians as 'terrorists.'

The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs condemned the attack, labeling it a 'dangerous and systematic escalation' aimed at provoking Muslims. The ministry urged international and human rights organizations to safeguard places of worship and counter the repeated attacks by occupiers on Palestinian towns and villages.

In a separate statement, the Palestinian presidency highlighted the ongoing 'religious war' by the Israeli army and occupiers against Al-Aqsa Mosque and other religious sites. It asserted that Israeli attacks have 'crossed all red lines' and that these actions, including the attempt to burn the Nur al-Din Zengi Mosque, demonstrate a 'systematic policy' backed by the occupation government. The presidency stressed that Al-Aqsa Mosque is wholly Islamic, and East Jerusalem's religious sites are integral to occupied Palestinian territory.

This incident occurs amid a surge in attacks by illegal Israeli occupiers across the West Bank. The UN reported in August that occupier violence had reached 'unprecedented levels,' with over 1,430 attacks resulting in casualties or property damage documented in 2026 as of early August. Mosques have been previous targets, with the UN documenting arson attacks in the Ramallah governorate in June, where buildings were set on fire and graffiti was sprayed on walls.