Israeli Attacks on Mosques and Churches — A New-Old Policy

 

When Israeli colonists set Al Anbiya Mosque ablaze in the town of Beit Fajjar in Bethlehem District on the 4^th of October, 2010, they wrote that it was the 18^th mosque targeted by them. They have also indicated that more attacks are still yet to come.

 

 

 

That was the message of the colonists to the Palestinians and to a world that is helplessly trying to attach themselves to the remains of a hopeless “peace process”. The question that arises is that is it true that colonists have attacked only 18 mosques in the West Bank??? The answer is definitely not … The number of targeted mosques is much higher. According to the records and documentation of the Land Research Center (LRC), at least 31 mosques were targetedviolated in the West Bank. The attacks took the form of demolition, arson, taking possession or being threatened to be demolished. Moreover, 4 churches were attacked while Israeli occupation authorities have threatened to cut water supply to the churches of the Old City of Jerusalem. In addition to the physical attacks on mosques and churches, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, declared on February 21^st, 2010, that his government has added the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and the Bilial Ibn Rabah Mosque in Bethlehem to the “List of National Jewish Heritage Sites.”

 

 

 

The following table lists the number of mosques violated throughout the occupation years in the West Bank:

No,	Governorate	No. of Attacked Mosques
1	Hebron	7
2	Bethlehem	4
3	Jerusalem	9
4	Ramallah	1
5	Salfeet	2
6	Nablus	5
7	Tubas	1
8	Jenin	2
TOTAL		31

 

 

 

The following table lists the number of violated churches throughout the years of Israeli occupation in the West Bank:

No.	District	No. of Violated Churches
1	Bethlehem	1
2	Jerusalem*	3
3	Jerich	1
TOTAL		5

 

The Jerusalem Occupation Municipality has threatened Jerusalem’s churches and monasteries that it would cut off water supply if they didn’t pay water bills unpaid since the year 1967. That is despite the fact that churches and monasteries are exempted from paying such bills.