DEIR ISTIYA: A mosque in the north of the Israeli-occupied West Bank was partly set on fire on Wednesday in an attack by Jewish settlers living nearby.

The main gate of the mosque in Deir Istiya village and some of the carpeting inside were charred by the blaze and graffiti in Hebrew was scrawled on an outside wall.

Israeli soldiers entered the village on Wednesday morning and were investigating.

A series of vandalism acts involving arson and writing graffiti on homes — apparently perpetrated by settlers — in Palestinian villages in recent weeks has raised tensions. Last year, the Israeli Defense Ministry announced a crackdown on settler vandals, saying they were tantamount to terrorists and their attacks could fan sectarian violence.

The United Nations considers its settlements illegal and most world powers say they are an obstacle to peace. Palestinians want the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, both usurped by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War, as part of their future state, and envision a full withdrawal of Israeli soldiers and settlers.