Despite reports of an investigation into a suspicious blaze that resulted in heavy damage to a mosque in PA-controlled Luban a-Sharqiya, IDF officials report an electrical short was most likely to blame. The blaze occurred during the early morning hours on Tuesday. Most of the mainstream media is pointing at settlers in an arson attack despite the IDF’s preliminary findings.

The PA village is located in Shomron, north of Yishuv Eli on Route 60. The damage to the mosque according to village officials is heavy and the IDF immediately began concerning itself with the possibility of arson. Military officials feared the fire was connected to the ‘Price Tag’ operation in which settlers target Arabs in retaliatory attacks.

Agents of the IDF Civil Administration arrived on the scene to maintain calm and promote a dialogue with community leaders.

It appears that concerns are unfounded, and while the investigation continues, military investigators on Tuesday morning indicated that the short circuit appears to have caused the blaze.

Residents however blame “settlers” telling Civil Administration officials an Israel vehicle was seen fleeing the scene. Unlike previous vandal attacks in which graffiti was left on the scene, this was not the case in the blaze.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)