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Qusra siege escalates
Israeli settlers besieged Palestinian families inside their homes in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, cutting off water and electricity as the siege entered its fourth day, with security camera footage from Qusra showing settlers surrounding a house.
“Israeli settlers have besieged three Palestinian families inside their homes in the occupied West Bank, cutting off water and electricity”
Al Jazeera reported that the siege began on Sunday when settlers blocked all entrances to a home, and that trapped residents said Israeli soldiers had failed to disperse the settlers despite intervening earlier in the day.
Aisha Abu Rida told Al Jazeera, “We are surrounded by settlers, but we are steadfast, God willing. We will not leave our home, no matter what happens,” as she described remaining inside despite water and electricity being cut off.
Al Jazeera also reported that Loai Ridi, an American-Palestinian who owns a house in the village, said his brother Qusai Abu Rida and 18-year-old nephew Ahmed were among those trapped and that he had “supplies for two to three days left.”
Huckabee calls it terrorism
The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, condemned the siege of Palestinian homes in Qusra as “Israeli terrorists,” writing that “Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting.”
In the same Al Jazeera account, Huckabee said there was “No excuse for such thuggish behaviour,” and posted that the U.S. embassy has been “VERY involved & the IDF & Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this.”
Al Jazeera reported that the siege involved three families, including one belonging to a dual US citizen, and that the families had been confined to their homes with their water and power cut off since Sunday.
Al Jazeera also quoted the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights saying, “These criminal actions by the settlers, supported or acquiesced to by Israel, the Occupying Power, are making life unbearable for these Palestinian families.”
Israel, critics, and next steps
As the siege continued, Al Jazeera reported that the Israeli military said it would deploy an additional infantry battalion to “strengthen order and operational control” and prevent further incidents.
“The Israeli military said later on Wednesday that it would deploy an additional infantry battalion”
Al Jazeera also reported that Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed there is “no presence” of settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, citing a ceremony inaugurating the Ganim settlement in the northern West Bank.
Inside Israel, Al Jazeera said more than 300 reserve soldiers signed a petition titled “A Letter from Reserve Soldiers Against Jewish Terrorism,” directed to Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and the letter said the army leadership was “abandoning us on the ground and not supporting us.”
Al Jazeera further reported that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Israel must protect Palestinians from settler violence, ensure accountability, and immediately remove settlers who intimidate Palestinian communities, while the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the siege and called for international intervention to stop “the settlers’ terrorism.”
