Ref: 141/2011

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)
condemns, in the strongest terms, the criminal arson attack on two mosques, one
by Israeli extremists in West Jerusalem and another by Jewish settlers in Burqa
village, east of Ramallah.  PCHR states
that the cover, support and protection provided by Israeli Occupation Forces
(IOF) to settlers and Jewish extremists, encourage them to continue to commit
systematic crimes against Palestinian civilians.  In light of the current escalation of attacks
by Israeli settlers, PCHR calls upon the international community to immediately
act to provide protection for Palestinian civilians from crimes by Israeli
settlers’, which remain unpunished in Israeli courts and occur systematically
alongside IOF violence. 

According to investigations conducted by PCHR,
at approximately 04:30 on Thursday, 15 December 2011, a number of residents of
Burqa village, east of Ramallah, arrived at al-Nour Mosque, in the north of the
village, for the Dawn Prayer.  The
residents noticed smoke evaporating from the third floor of the mosque, which
is designed for women.  The residents
immediately went to the third floor where they found that a fire had broken out
and so extinguished it.  According to
sources of the local village council, carpets, lights, ceiling fans, walls and
windows were heavily damaged. 
Palestinian civilians found statements written in Hebrew on the wall
saying: “War, Death.”  It should be noted
that the first floor of the mosque serves as an elementary school, the second
one is designed for male prayers and the third one is designed for female
prayers.  “Kfar Assaf” settlement outpost
is located nearly 500 meters to the north of the mosque, while “Kfar Magharon”
settlement outpost is located nearly one kilometer to the east of the
mosque. 

Similarly, on Wednesday morning, 14 December
2011, a group of Jewish extremists set fire to Nabi Ukasha Mosque, which is
controlled by Jewish extremists in West Jerusalem.  They also wrote statements insulting the
Prophet Mohammed.  Baroch Marzil, a
Jewish extremist, claimed responsibility for the attack, allegedly in response
to incitement against settlers.  IOF have
prevented Palestinians from praying in the mosque, but have allowed settlers to
establish a playground for their children on its yard.

PCHR has repeatedly warned of escalated attacks
by Israeli settlers and extremist groups against Palestinian civilians and
their property.  PCHR condemns the arson
attack on the two mosques and all other attacks launched by Israeli settlers in
the West Bank, and:

1. Calls
for stopping the permanent protection and coverage provided by IOF to Israeli
settlers, which serves to encourage them to commit more crimes against
Palestinian civilians;

2. Calls
upon the international community to exert pressure on the government of Israel
to fulfill their obligations under international law and remove all aspects of
Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt);

Reminds
the international community that settlement in itself constitutes a war crime,
and, therefore, 3. calls on the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention, individually or collectively, to fulfill their legal and moral
obligations and ensure Israeli’s respect for, and application of, the
Convention in the oPt in accordance with Article 1 of the Convention.