Israel’s military deployed additional troops to the West Bank village of Qusra following a multi-day siege by Jewish settlers that trapped Palestinian families inside their homes, according to Reuters. The siege began when settlers closed off the road to three homes on the outskirts of the village, set up tents in front yards, and refused to allow anyone to enter or leave.
Israeli Military Reinforces West Bank Village Amid Settler Siege
U.S. Ambassador Condemns Actions as Terror
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the incident as a horrific act of terror
aimed at intimidating and harassing the family. Writing on X, Huckabee noted that the embassy coordinated with the Israeli military and police, who acted at the request of the U.S. to remove the individuals responsible, calling their actions criminal.
The homes targeted during the multi-day standoff included one owned by a Palestinian American. Loui Ridi and his brother, Qusai Abu Rida, were among those affected. Abu Rida, who holed up in the house with his teenage son to defend it, stated that Israeli soldiers later moved them to another home, though they remained unable to leave the area.
Military Actions and Local Impact
The Israeli military stated that its personnel dismantled two illegal outposts near the homes on the outskirts of Qusra and a nearby village, detaining one Israeli. Mayor Abdel Azim Wadi reported that forces evacuated seven homes in total to take positions in the village, while settlers remained active in other areas.
The military announced it was taking disciplinary action against personnel involved after initial efforts, including the deployment of tear gas, failed to immediately clear the settlers. Additional soldiers were subsequently dispatched to carry out defensive missions, patrols, and to maintain security in the region.
Broader West Bank Tensions
The incident in Qusra unfolds against a backdrop of rising tensions in the West Bank, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. The territory is home to approximately three million Palestinians and 500,000 settlers across 146 settlements and 390 smaller outposts, according to data from the Israeli settlement watchdog group Peace Now.
Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN deputy special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, told the UN Security Council that settler violence has reached unprecedented levels, with more than 1,430 incidents recorded in 2026 and 3,800 Palestinian residents displaced. Meanwhile, Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon rejected claims that settlements are an obstacle to peace, stating that the communities are strong and that we are not going anywhere.
