More troops to be sent to West Bank village besieged by Israeli settlers
Two Palestinian families in the village of Qusra say they have been trapped in their homes, with water and power cut off, since Sunday.
The Israeli military has announced it will deploy additional troops to the occupied West Bank village of Qusra after an unsuccessful attempt to dislodge Israeli settlers who have blockaded two Palestinian families in their homes since Sunday.
The affected families, the Abu Ridi and Hassan families, reside on the outskirts of Qusra, south of Nablus. They reported that their water and power had been cut off and food supplies were dwindling, prompting urgent pleas for assistance.
This incident highlights the ongoing issue of settler impunity and the challenges Israeli forces face in addressing escalating settler violence. Overnight, videos from Qusra showed approximately a dozen Israeli security vehicles, including a bulldozer. Later daylight footage depicted a long line of Israeli security forces on the road leading to the Palestinian village, which remains a closed military zone.
Local media outlets have reported the demolition of a nearby Israeli settler outpost.
Qusay Abu Ridi, who has been confined to his home since Sunday with no water or electricity, informed the BBC that his house was attacked again overnight, and a few settlers were still in the area, reportedly hiding from the army. His brother, a Palestinian-American businessman and the property owner, had lodged a complaint with the US embassy.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee confirmed that the embassy had requested Israel to remove the settlers, whom he referred to as "Israeli terrorists." He posted on X, "Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting. No excuse for such thuggish behavior."
The situation in Qusra began on Sunday when settlers obstructed the road to the Palestinian families' gates and severed their utilities. Initial Israeli soldiers who arrived at the scene were seen praying with the settlers, an act for which the Israeli military later stated they would face disciplinary action.
On Wednesday, an attempt by Israeli security forces to remove the settlers resulted in confrontations with a larger group and ultimately failed. Palestinian security camera footage shared with the BBC showed clashes between Israeli soldiers, border police, and a large crowd of settlers, with security forces deploying tear gas and stun grenades. Other footage showed Israeli forces confiscating a canopy used by the settlers for shelter, while leaving other equipment behind.
The precise motives of the settlers in Qusra are unclear. In previous instances, settlers have forcibly removed Palestinians from their homes and seized their properties. The stated objective of the settlers is to depopulate the area of its Palestinian residents.
Under international law, settlements are illegal, yet the Israeli government has recently promoted their rapid expansion.
Abdel Azim Wadi, the mayor of Qusra, told the BBC that local residents have observed "a clear and sustained pattern of targeting Qusra." Last month, a newly completed mosque in the village was set on fire, with Hebrew graffiti sprayed nearby.
This settler attack was one of many that followed an incident in the Palestinian village of Tal. After Israeli settlers attacked Tal, it led to an escalation in which six people were killed—four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers, one of whom served as a security coordinator for a nearby Israeli settlement.
In July, settlers also surrounded a Palestinian home in the village of Jalud, near Qusra, for over two weeks. Subsequently, the owners fled, and settlers took over the property, where they remain.
According to UN figures, 76 Palestinians, including 18 children, have been killed in the West Bank this year by Israeli forces or settlers. During the same period, three Israelis, including one civilian, were killed in confrontations with Palestinians and in an alleged ramming attack by a Palestinian in the West Bank.
Since January 2023, 127 Palestinian communities in the West Bank have experienced full or partial displacement, with 47 being entirely displaced, affecting more than 6,390 Palestinians, the UN reports. It has registered that in 2026, approximately 3,800 Palestinians, nearly half of them children, have been displaced due to settler violence, demolitions, and evictions.
Speaking at a UN meeting, Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, rejected the notion that settlements impede peace. He asserted that settlements would remain and continue to grow, citing his country's biblical, historic, and legal rights to the land. He stated that the Security Council "must understand a simple truth: we are not going anywhere."