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Israeli Settlers Suspected of Setting Fire in West Bank Mosque

Palestinians inspect the damage following a fire inside a mosque in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyir, near Ramallah, June 7, 2011

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Last updated on: June 06, 2011 8:00 PM

Officials say suspected Israeli settlers have set fire to a tire inside a mosque in the West Bank, and spray painted a message on the building's walls referring to a nearby settler outpost.

The fire was discovered Tuesday in the village of al-Mughayyir. Officials say the damage was limited to some prayer rugs inside.

Authorities said the vandals painted the words "price tag" and "Aley Ayin" on the walls. Aley Ayin is a small unauthorized settler outpost that was demolished by Israeli authorities last week.

Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians stalled last September, partly due to Palestinian objections to Israeli settlement construction on land they want as part of a future state.

Israeli government officials announced plans last month to build about 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem. The units will be on land that Israel annexed after the 1967 war.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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