LONDON: The Arab League condemned on Tuesday the burning of a Palestinian mosque by Israeli settlers during an attack on the village of Tell near Nablus, north of the occupied West Bank.

On Monday morning, settlers vandalized the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque by spray-painting offensive phrases and starting a fire, which left the place filled with black smoke and soot.

The Arab League said that the targeting of religious sanctities is a dangerous escalation that fuels hate speech and violence, undermining any international efforts aimed at achieving peace and stability, according to Wafa news agency.

It called on the UN to take concrete steps to stop these repeated attacks and ensure the protection of places of worship.

The Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Religious Affairs reported that settlers vandalized or attacked 45 mosques in the West Bank last year.

The recent incident occurred as Muslims began observing the holy month of Ramadan last week, which continues into March. Israeli forces have increased their presence in the West Bank and around the city of Jerusalem, allowing only children under 12, men over 55, and women over 50 to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque.