West Bank Mosque Attack Underscores Rising Tensions Amid Fragile Ceasefire 

In late 2025, a fragile ceasefire in Gaza was increasingly threatened by a surge of violence in the West Bank, exemplified by Israeli settlers setting fire to a mosque and scrawling racist graffiti on its walls; this attack was part of a broader, unprecedented wave of settler violence that drew strong condemnation from European powers, who warned it risked undermining the broader peace process, while within Israel, despite high-level military and political condemnations, law enforcement responses remained tepid, creating a tense backdrop of systemic issues—including allegations of abuse in detention camps and accelerated settlement expansion—that collectively jeopardized the delicate diplomatic progress and regional stability.

West Bank Mosque Attack Underscores Rising Tensions Amid Fragile Ceasefire 

An arson attack on a mosque by Israeli settlers represents the latest escalation in West Bank violence that now threatens to undermine the fragile Gaza ceasefire and broader peace efforts. 

An Escalating Pattern of Violence 

On November 13, 2025, Israeli settlers set fire to the Hajjah Hamidah Mosque in the northern West Bank town of Deir Istiya, defacing its walls with racist graffiti including the phrases “Mohammed is a pig” and “Not afraid of Avi Bluth” – referencing the IDF commander who had recently condemned settler violence. The attack, which occurred before morning prayers, damaged parts of the mosque’s interior, left walls blackened with smoke, and resulted in several burnt copies of the Quran. 

This incident was far from isolated. The mosque had previously been vandalized by settlers in 2012 and 2014, but the current wave of violence has reached unprecedented levels. According to UN data, October 2025 saw 264 settler attacks – the highest monthly number since the United Nations began recording such incidents in 2006. 

Just two days before the mosque attack, dozens of masked settlers launched a major arson assault in the northern West Bank village of Beit Lid, setting fire to a dairy factory, vehicles, and tents in a nearby Bedouin community. The pattern continued through the month, including a November 8 incident where a 26-year-old Palestinian man was shot dead by an Israeli settler on a road between Deir Jarir and Silwad. 

International Condemnation and Tepid Response 

The escalation has drawn significant international concern. On November 27, 2025, four European powers – France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom – issued a joint statement “strongly condemn[ing] the massive increase of settler violence against Palestinian civilians” and warning that such “destabilising activity risks undermining the success of the 20 Point Plan for Gaza and prospects for long-term peace and security”. 

The European statement specifically called on Israel to “abide by its obligations under international law and protect the Palestinian population of the occupied territories,” urging the government to “hold those accountable who are responsible for those crimes”. 

Within Israel, responses have been mixed but largely ineffective. Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the attacks as “shocking and serious,” stating that “all state authorities must act decisively to eradicate this phenomenon”. IDF Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir similarly condemned the incidents, noting they “contradict our values, cross a red line and divert the attention of our troops from their mission”. 

Despite these condemnations, law enforcement responses appear limited. After the Beit Lid attack, Israeli police initially arrested four suspects but released three by the following evening. This pattern aligns with historical data from Israeli human rights group Yesh Din, which found that from 2005-2024, 94% of investigation files into settler violence ended without indictment. 

Notably absent from the conversation has been Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government includes far-right ministers who have openly supported West Bank annexation. 

The Broader Context: Undermining Peace Efforts 

The surge in settler violence occurs against a backdrop of fragile diplomatic progress. On October 10, 2025, a Trump-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect, leading to the release of all remaining living Israeli hostages and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The agreement marked the first significant step toward de-escalation after years of conflict. 

However, the West Bank violence now threatens to derail these delicate peace processes. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern that events in the West Bank could “spill over and create an effect that could undermine what we’re doing in Gaza”. 

The European E4 group specifically linked the settler violence to broader regional stability, noting that continued attacks “sow terror among civilians, they are harmful to the ongoing peace efforts and for the lasting security of the State of Israel itself”. 

Settlement Expansion: The Political Dimension 

The violence coincides with accelerated settlement expansion that has drawn international criticism. The European statement noted that “more than 3000 house units’ projects have been approved over the last three weeks, mounting to 28,000 new housing units approved since January, an all-time high”. 

This settlement activity has created de facto annexation of West Bank territories, threatening the viability of a future Palestinian state. In September 2025, President Trump reportedly promised Arab and Muslim leaders he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, reflecting international concern about the settlement policies. 

Systemic Issues Beyond the West Bank 

The mosque attack and settler violence represent just one aspect of broader tensions. Meanwhile, at the Sde Teiman detention camp in southern Israel, serious human rights concerns have emerged regarding the treatment of Palestinian detainees. 

A report by Physicians for Human Rights Israel covering October 2023 through August 2025 found that at least 94 Palestinian prisoners and detainees died in Israeli custody during that period, compared to fewer than 30 in the previous ten years. The report alleged “systematic killings and cover-ups” and described detention facilities that had “effectively been transformed into sites of torture and abuse”. 

The highest number of deaths – 29 – occurred at Sde Teiman, where released detainees have reported widespread torture, sexual abuse, and medical neglect that in some cases led to amputations. These allegations gained national attention in July 2024 when nine Israeli soldiers were detained for questioning about the serious abuse of a Palestinian prisoner. 

A Fragile Path Forward 

The interconnection between West Bank violence and Gaza peace efforts creates a complex challenge for diplomats. As the Atlantic Council’s Daniel E. Mouton noted, the ceasefire’s success depends on multiple conditions being met, including “the verification of Hamas’s disarmament, the establishment of international security forces, and an alternative governance structure for Gaza”. 

The mosque burning and ongoing settler attacks introduce additional complications by undermining trust and escalating tensions precisely when de-escalation is most needed. With the Trump administration attempting to broker a comprehensive peace agreement, the violence threatens to unravel progress achieved through the Gaza ceasefire. 

As the European ministers emphasized in their statement, there is no alternative to a “just and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the two-state solution”. However, with settlement expansion continuing and violence escalating, the practical realization of this solution appears increasingly distant. 

The coming weeks will test whether Israeli authorities can effectively curb settler violence and whether international pressure can preserve the fragile Gaza ceasefire while addressing the deteriorating situation in the West Bank. The burned mosque in Deir Istiya stands as a stark symbol of these broader tensions – a religious site damaged not just by fire, but by the political failures that allowed the flames to ignite.