Settlers Besiege Palestinian Homes in West Bank Town
At a Glance
- Three homes surrounded for five nights
- Water and electricity repeatedly cut
- Israeli army condemns siege
- Settler violence continues across West Bank
Three Palestinian families in the northern occupied West Bank town of Qusra have spent five nights surrounded by Israeli settlers, as access to basic supplies remains restricted.
Key Statements and Focus Area
- U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee: Described the actions of the settlers as “terrorists,” calling the incident a “horrific act of terror” intended to intimidate and harass the Palestinian family.
- Israeli military: Condemned the siege as “illegal, reprehensible, and unacceptable,” declared Qusra a closed military zone, and said troops were deployed to carry out defensive missions and patrols.
- Qusra Mayor Abdel Azim Wadi: Warned that residents cannot continue living under the current pressure, saying, “This is not a life that can continue this way. Too much pressure eventually causes an explosion.”
- Homeowner Loui Ridi: Said removing settlers temporarily is not enough, describing the situation as “a cycle” and arguing that they must be prevented from returning after Israeli forces leave.
Dozens of Israeli settlers surrounded three Palestinian homes on the outskirts of Qusra on Sunday, according to the families, blocking residents from leaving safely.
Qusai Abu Rida remained inside one of the homes with his teenage son as settlers cut water and electricity supplies. The family relied on well water while settlers erected tents outside the property.
Ridi, who owns the home and lives in Ohio, monitored the situation through security cameras and remained in contact with his brother during the standoff.
The siege has continued for five nights.
Israeli troops have intervened several times since the settlers arrived, but residents say the settlers repeatedly returned.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military condemned the siege and declared Qusra a closed military zone.
The following day, residents filmed dozens of settlers returning, attempting to block a road with rocks and clashing with Israeli soldiers.
On Thursday, the military said troops dismantled two illegal outposts in Qusra and a nearby village and detained one Israeli. It also said additional troops had been deployed for defensive missions and patrols.
Qusra Mayor Abdel Azim Wadi said Israeli forces evacuated more than a dozen homes to establish military positions in the village.
Abu Rida said soldiers gave residents 30 minutes to evacuate and move into one of the three homes under siege.
The Israeli military said troops had been instructed to allow families to remain in their homes and not to operate inside them. Abu Rida said the families had not yet returned.
The military said its troops found the families with basic food and water supplies during a check on Wednesday.
Ridi, however, said Thursday that although water and electricity lines had been restored, settlers cut them again.
It remains unclear when residents will regain reliable access to basic supplies and what will happen to the affected homes.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee referred to the settlers involved as “terrorists” on Thursday.
He described the incident as a “horrific act of terror” intended to intimidate and harass the family and said the U.S. Embassy had been coordinating with Israeli military and police authorities.
The criticism comes despite the Trump administration's strong support for Israeli settlements and its decision during President Donald Trump's second term to lift sanctions imposed by the previous administration on settlers accused of violence.
FYI
Settler violence has increased in recent years alongside expanded settlement construction under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which is widely described as Israel’s most ultranationalist and religious government. Netanyahu’s government views the West Bank as the historical and biblical homeland of the Jewish people and opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state. Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal and an obstacle to a two-state solution.
During Trump's first term, his administration broadly accepted Israeli settlements. At the beginning of his second term, Trump lifted sanctions imposed by the Biden administration on settlers accused of violence. Huckabee, who has long supported Israeli settlements, has nevertheless condemned the recent attacks.
The U.N. humanitarian office reported in April that Qusra had recorded more settler attacks than any other West Bank community in 2026. A 25-year-old Palestinian resident was killed by an off-duty Israeli reservist in March, while eight others were wounded in attacks, according to the U.N.
Last month, violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in a nearby northern West Bank village killed two Israelis and four Palestinians. A mosque in Qusra was subsequently set on fire, with the Hebrew word “revenge” painted on its wall.
The Palestinian Authority's Health Ministry says 87 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers and soldiers this year. Israel says some of those killed were involved in terrorism, a term it uses broadly for militant attacks and rock-throwing. Palestinian authorities do not distinguish between militants and civilians in their conflict death records.
Palestinian officials have also reported 1,476 settler attacks in 2026, including cases involving the seizure of Palestinian homes and property.
The Israeli military says it is responsible for maintaining law and order in the territory, while Israeli Cabinet ministers have attributed the violence to a small number of young extremists acting outside the law.
Around 2.8 million Palestinians live under Israeli military rule in the West Bank, while the Palestinian Authority exercises limited autonomy in population centers. Israeli settlers, who are Israeli citizens, now number more than 560,000.
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have not been held for more than a decade.
Qusra Mayor Wadi said the continuing pressure on residents cannot continue indefinitely, warning that “too much pressure eventually causes an explosion.”
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