The situation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank has intensified as Jewish settlers have besieged the home of an American Palestinian family in the village of Qusra, south of Nablus. This event, which began on Sunday, drew a strong condemnation from U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who labeled the siege a ‘horrific act of terror.’
According to local officials and family members, the settlers have been gathering near the home, harassing the occupants, and defying the Israeli military’s attempts to de-escalate the situation. The group, comprising up to dozens of men, has thrown stones, attempted to dismantle a nearby stone wall, and prevented the family from leaving despite dwindling supplies.
From his home in Ohio, the property’s owner, Lou Ridi, explained that his brother and nephew had been trapped in the home, lacking food and water for several days. On Thursday, Ridi’s brother, Qusai Abu Rida, and his teenage son were evacuated by Israel’s military. The future of the property, along with at least one other targeted house, remains uncertain.
Israeli troops have stepped in to restore order, dismantling two illegal outposts and detaining an Israeli individual. Additional troops have been deployed to the area, located approximately 16 kilometers from Nablus, to perform defensive missions and patrols. Although roads into Qusra have been closed, Israeli police have not provided information on arrests of Israeli civilians.
Critics, including Palestinians and Israeli opposition members, accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of ignoring settler violence against Palestinians during a period of increasing clashes. The U.S. Ambassador’s remarks, posted on social media, represented a strong rebuke from an official ally of Israel’s settler movement. Huckabee has historically supported Israeli control over the West Bank while condemning settler violence.
Footage from the home’s security cameras showed some settlers still hiding by a damaged stone wall. Ridi revealed that the harassment had been ongoing for months, with instances of stone-throwing and cutting off utilities, causing property damage.
The village of Qusra witnessed further tensions last month when a mosque was set on fire, allegedly by settlers. This followed the killing of an Israeli settler, triggering violence that resulted in the deaths of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinian villagers.
The international community has condemned the expansion of settler outposts, viewing it as an obstacle to the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank. Palestinians aspire for the West Bank, seized by Israel in 1967, to be part of their future state, while many settlers maintain that the area should belong to Israel for historical, religious, and security reasons.