PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Press Releases
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Ref: 146/2014
Date: 15 October 2014
Time: 10:35 GMT
Israeli Settlers Set Fire to Abu Baker al-Siddiq Mosque in 'Aqraba Village near Nablus
The
Palestinian Center for Human rights (PCHR) condemns the crime committed
by Israeli settlers on Tuesday, 14 October 2014, when they set fire to
Abu Baker al-Siddiq Mosque in 'Aqraba village, southeast of Nablus, and
painted slogans on its walls. PCHR believes that Israeli occupation
forces' connivance, support and protection for the settlers encourage
them to commit more organized crimes against the Palestinian civilians,
and these crimes are the outcome of Israeli governments’ persistent
incitements against the Palestinians, which drive the settlers into more
hatred and extremism. PCHR condemns such attacks and Israeli
government’s complicity and encouragement for them. Moreover, PCHR calls
upon the international community to act immediately to provide
protection for the Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian
territory (oPt).
According
to investigations conducted by PCHR and eyewitness' testimonies, at
approximately 06:15 on Tuesday, 14 October 2014, after al-Fajer (dawn)
prayer in Abu Baker al-Siddiq Mosque in ‘Aqraba village, southeast of
Nablus, a civilian saw smoke coming out of the southern window of
women’s section on the first floor of the mosque. He immediately
informed the worshippers on the second floor who started leaving the
mosque through its eastern exit. They rushed to the women’s section
through the western entrance and tried to extinguish fire. Twenty
minutes later, they managed to extinguish the fire. After examining the
place, they found that the southern window of the women’s section had
been shattered and flammable substances were poured on the carpets. The
bottles of the flammable substances were left at the window. Later, the
Palestinian police arrived at the place and collected the evidence. At
approximately 10:30, the Israeli liaison and police arrived at the place
and opened an investigation into the attack.
It
should be noted that the mosque is located in Ras Karkas quarter in the
southern side of ‘Aqraba village, which is less than 400 meters from
Trans-Samaria road. The settlers wrote a slogan in Hebrew on walls of
the mosque and signed it 'Price Tag in Taffoah settlement'. The slogan
further says that this attack was in revenge for Kahana, a settler from
the aforementioned settlement, who was killed several years ago by a
Palestinian from ‘Aqraba on the same date.
PCHR
has constantly warned of the escalation of attacks by Israeli settlers
against Palestinian civilians and property. PCHR strongly condemns
escalated attacks by Israeli forces and settlers in the oPt, in
particular attacks by settlers in the West Bank, and:
1. Calls
upon the international community to pressurize Israeli authorities to
refrain from providing protection and connivance to settlers in regards
to crimes committed by them and demands the Israeli government to
prosecute settlers who perpetrate such attacks;
2. Calls
upon the international community to pressurize Israel to comply with
its obligations under the international law and end all settlement
activities in the oPt;
3. Reminds
the international community that settlement is a war crime according to
the international law, so the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth
Geneva Convention, individually or jointly, must comply with their legal
and moral obligations, and ensure Israel’s respect for the Convention
in the oPt, in accordance with Article 1 of the Convention.
Public Document
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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 - 2825893
PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org, Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
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