TEL AVIV — A mosque was torched overnight near the West Bank city of Ramallah, amid a rising tide of Israel-Palestinian tensions.
Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfield said an investigation is underway into the incident in the village of Al Mghreir. The deputy of the local council accused settlers of setting fire to the mosque.
"The people living next to the mosque heard the fire, they went outside and started screaming," Marzouk Abu Naim told NBC News. "Even the wall and the windows were burnt."
Another mosque in Al Mghreir was torched in n 2011.
"By burning the second and only mosque we have left, 3,200 residents have no place to pray," Abu Naim added.
"What happened early in the morning make people feel angry about this criminal act, and now, at this moment there are clashes between residents and the Israeli army."
Separately, Israeli police confirmed that "liquids" were thrown at a synagogue in the town of Shfaram. Police said they are looking into that incident.
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