The Palestinian Authority Police announced that three Palestinians were detained on suspicion of torching a Christmas tree and vandalizing part of a Nativity scene at a church in Jenin, a city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

According to the church, the incident occurred at approximately 3 a.m. on Monday.

On Wednesday, the Palestinian Authority Police stated that the three individuals were apprehended following an examination of surveillance video from the Holy Redeemer Church in Jenin. Authorities confiscated tools thought to have been utilized in the attack from the suspects.

Law enforcement denounced what appeared to be an effort to provoke sectarian and religious strife in the West Bank.

The church posted images on social media depicting the charred frame of an artificial Christmas tree stripped of its green plastic branches, with red and gold decorations strewn about a courtyard.

The church promptly removed the burned tree and installed a replacement the day following the attack, in preparation for Christmas Mass.

A special service was conducted at the church, attended by local Muslim and Christian leaders as well as political figures. Rev. Amer Jubran, the parish priest, described the arson as an isolated event and stressed the unity of the city.

In a statement, the Holy Redeemer Church said, “This event has reaffirmed that efforts to damage religious symbols will never weaken the city’s spirit or the faith of its inhabitants.”

The small Christian population in the West Bank is confronting growing extremist threats from multiple sources, including Israeli settlers and Palestinian radicals, which is driving many to leave the area.

Christians account for just 1-2% of the West Bank’s approximately 3 million inhabitants, with Muslims comprising the overwhelming majority. Throughout the Middle East, the Christian population has been dwindling as people have fled ongoing conflicts.

In Israel, certain church officials and watchdog organizations have recorded a recent rise in anti-Christian attitudes and harassment, particularly in Jerusalem’s Old City. Reports indicate that extremists have also vandalized and set fire to locations near churches and Christian communities.

The Israel-Hamas conflict triggered a wave of violence in the West Bank, as Israeli military operations against militants resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians and forced tens of thousands from their homes. Militants have also launched attacks that killed Israelis in both Israel and the West Bank.

This violence has occurred alongside a rise in attacks by Israeli settlers and assaults by Palestinians on Israelis.