A DISUSED mosque was set on fire in Jerusalem in an apparent attack by Jewish militants as Israeli officials convened to consider classifying extremist Jews who carry out violent attacks as terrorists.

The 12th-century Nebi Akasha mosque, located in the middle of an ultra-Orthodox part of Jerusalem, was set on fire in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Racist anti-Arab graffiti were daubed on the walls of the building along with the names of West Bank Jewish outposts threatened with demolition, and the phrase “price tag” – a reference to Jewish extremists’ practice of exacting retribution for government action against West Bank outposts.

Jerusalem’s mayor, Nir Barkat, arrived at the scene and condemned the attack. “We must show zero tolerance toward violence in any shape or form and continue to maintain coexistence in the city,” Mr Barkat said.

The mosque burning came only a day after extremist settlers had stormed into a West Bank army base, attacked troops and vandalised property, prompting an angry backlash from across the political spectrum in Israel and calls for the government to act.

Prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu said the attacks on soldiers had “crossed all red lines”.

Maj Gen Avi Mizrachi, the commander of the army’s central command, which includes the West Bank, said the violence was planned, not sporadic. “In my 30 years in the IDF I have yet to see such Jewish hatred like the one directed at our soldiers.”

President Shimon Peres described the rioting as “one of the most serious incidents we have ever seen”.

Six suspected extremists were arrested in police raids on a religious neighbourhood in Jerusalem a few hours after the arson attack. Israel’s police chief, Yohanan Danino, said his force had now “taken off the gloves” in its battle against “price tag” acts.

Senior justice ministry officials convened to examine the possibility of declaring the Jewish militants, dubbed the “hilltop youth”, as terrorists. The army was also re-examining its standing orders to allow troops to open fire at Jewish activists when they fear their lives are in danger.

In a separate development, the controversial wooden ramp to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount holy site was reopened yesterday after being closed last week by the Jerusalem municipality as a safety hazard.

The government decided to renovate the temporary walkway, used by non-Muslims, after Arab states and Muslim groups protested at plans to build a new permanent structure.