Palestinians: Settlers vandalized West Bank mosque
By Associated Press
Apr 14, 2010 2:08 PM CDT
A Palestinian cleans a graffiti of the star of David and a word reading in Hebrew "Mohammed" from the wall of a mosque in the West Bank village of Hawara, south of Nablus, Wednesday, April 14, 2010. A Palestinian prayer leader said Wednesday Jewish settlers have vandalized a mosque and burned two cars...   (Associated Press)

A Palestinian prayer leader says Jewish settlers have vandalized a West Bank mosque.

Mohammed Owdi says he arrived at the mosque in the village of Hawara on Wednesday to find the word "Mohammed" in Hebrew and a Star of David painted in the mosque's entryway. Two cars were also burned.

Owdi says he saw a car leaving the village and suspects Jewish settlers. The area, deep in the West Bank, is home to several radical settlements.

The Israeli army condemned the act and called for an investigation.

Friction is common between the 2.5 million Palestinians and 300,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967.

In January, Israeli police arrested nine settlers after an arson attack on a mosque.