Israeli settlers set fire to a classroom in a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank on Friday, Palestinian and Israeli officials said, as the United Nations warned of worsening violence and a record number of settler attacks driving displacement across the territory.
The arson attack targeted a classroom in the village of Jalud, south of Nablus, according to Palestinian media reports. Villagers were able to extinguish the flames, and no injuries were reported as the incident occurred outside normal school hours.
Palestine’s official WAFA news agency said the fire was set at dawn and caused extensive damage. The Israeli military confirmed the arson, saying troops were dispatched to the village but failed to locate any suspects. Israeli media reported that the word “Revenge” was spray-painted on the building.
Additional attacks were reported in nearby villages, where several Palestinian vehicles were set ablaze and other property damaged, according to local sources.
The incidents came as the United Nations warned of escalating settler violence in the occupied West Bank. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric cited data from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) showing a record daily average of settler attacks against Palestinians.
