West Bank Mosque Arson Sparks International Condemnation

On 17 June 2026, Jewish settlers set fire to two mosques in the occupied West Bank – the Ulu Mosque in Jaljulye and the El‑Faruk Mosque in Mezraa el‑Nubani. Israeli forces responded with tear‑gas and sound‑bombs; no injuries were reported. The attacks followed similar incidents two days earlier and were denounced by Hamas as a dangerous escalation.

The following day, foreign ministers from Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jordan issued a joint statement condemning the settler violence. The ministers said the attacks on sacred sites violated international humanitarian law and UN resolutions, called on Israel to halt illegal measures in the West Bank, and reaffirmed support for a two‑state solution and Palestinian self‑determination.