A mosque in the village of Deir Istiya near Shechem (Nablus), was set on fire Wednesday night.
Graffiti was sprayed on the mosque walls, including the phrases “Keep condemning,” “inflict revenge upon His adversaries (Deuteronomy 32:37),” “Muhammad is a pig,” and “We are not afraid of Avi Bluth.”
All council heads in Judea and Samaria came out Wednesday with a strong condemnation of the riots carried out by a small number of extremist Jewish youths in the region.
Avi Bluth, Commander of the IDF's Central Command, on Wednesday told commanders in the area, “The reality in which anarchic fringe youth act violently against innocent people and security forces is an intolerable and very serious reality that must be dealt with firmly. Addressing the phenomenon requires the involvement of all systems of the State of Israel - education, welfare, enforcement, and punishment.”
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir clarified Wednesday night. “The IDF will not tolerate criminal minority behavior that tarnishes a law‑abiding public,” he declared. “These are actions contrary to our values, cross a red line, and divert the forces’ attention from their mission: defending settlements and offensive operations. We are determined to stop this phenomenon and will act with severity until accountability is achieved.”