The tense situation in the West Bank has seen the home of a Palestinian American, Loui Ridi, besieged by Israeli settlers for over a week. This has occurred in the village of Qusra, where settlers have surrounded several homes, blocking residents from leaving.

Ridi traveled to his besieged property on Monday to join family members defending the home. He arrived as footage showed settlers near Qusra, interacting with soldiers. These settlers have increased their attacks on Palestinian towns and villages, emboldened by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government. They have been accused of setting homes, mosques, and fields on fire, contributing to rising violence in the region.

The United States has expressed condemnation of the situation, while the Israeli military claims it has deployed troops to maintain order. Despite this, Ridi noted that soldiers were seen interacting amicably with settlers.

This year’s violence has resulted in 87 Palestinian deaths at the hands of Israeli soldiers and settlers, according to health officials. In contrast, Palestinians have killed three Israelis, including two fatalities in last month’s clashes in the village of Tell.

“I’ve been watching this live for many days and now this is the second week. I can’t sleep,” Ridi remarked at Israel’s main international airport. “I can’t let the settlers steal my house while I was watching.”

Upon arriving in Qusra, Ridi reunited with his family before heading to his besieged home, where his brother Qusai Abu Rida and his teenage son stayed to protect the property. Despite promises of military action, footage showed the situation largely unchanged since the siege began.

Qusra has been declared a closed military zone by Israel, yet Ridi expresses frustration with the current conditions. “I should be able to go to my house freely, anytime I want,” he stated. “It is a frustration and a nightmare for the entire family.”

Metz contributed reporting from Tel Aviv, Israel.