US Ambassador Huckabee labels settler siege of Palestinian homes in West Bank village 'terror'

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Thursday condemned as 'terror' a multi-day settler siege of Palestinian homes in the West Bank village of Qusra, near Nablus, after Israeli military forces made at least two attempts to end the blockade and failed to fully remove the settlers. The siege, which multiple sources place as beginning on Sunday — with The Straits Times specifying the date as August 9 — has left residents of at least three homes reportedly cut off from food, water, and other supplies.

Settlers used rocks and tents — and later blankets after a tent was removed — to blockade Palestinian homes in Qusra, according to multiple sources. The village sits in Area B of the occupied West Bank, which is nominally under Palestinian civil administration, according to Al Jazeera.

Huckabee, described across all sources as a staunch supporter of Israeli settlements in the West Bank who has previously rejected the idea of a Palestinian state, wrote 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 behaviour.' He also said Israel had intervened at the request of the United States.

One of the homes targeted belongs to a dual US-American-Palestinian citizen. According to Al Jazeera, Loai Ridi, speaking from Toledo in the United States, said his brother Qusai Abu Rida and 18-year-old nephew Ahmed were among those trapped, relying on a temporary solar power system and stored well water after supply lines were cut.

The Israeli military sent forces to the area on Wednesday — August 12, according to The Straits Times — who removed a tent, but witnesses said settlers remained with blankets. The army later announced it would deploy a new battalion to restore order. According to Al Jazeera, Israeli forces and police made another attempt early Thursday after the previous day's effort failed. Israel's military separately stated it had dismantled 'two illegal outposts on the outskirts of the Qusra and Jalud areas,' confiscated equipment, and detained one Israeli, according to Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera's correspondent in the occupied West Bank reported that all entrances to Qusra were blocked by the Israeli army, preventing other Palestinians from entering to assist the affected families, effectively placing the entire village under siege.

According to Al Jazeera, in the nearby village of Jalud a similar two-week siege in July forced two Palestinian families off their land before settlers took over the property. The same village recently had a newly built mosque burned, also according to Al Jazeera.

The Jerusalem Post, in analysis attributed to its reporter, cited the role of Defence Minister Israel Katz — including his removal of administrative detention for Jewish settlers in January 2025 and his criticism of IDF Central Commander Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth over a travel restraining order placed on an individual accused of attacking Palestinians — as possible factors emboldening settlers. The outlet also noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been silent throughout the incident.

Multiple sources note that more than 500,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements considered illegal under international law, alongside approximately three million Palestinians, and that Israel has occupied the territory since 1967. France 24 and The Straits Times note that settler violence against Palestinians has increased dramatically since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Where sources differ

• The start date of the siege is given as 'Sunday' by France 24 and as August 9 by The Straits Times (consistent with each other), while Al Jazeera describes it as 'days-long' without specifying a start date, and The Jerusalem Post refers to events on 'Tuesday and Wednesday' without stating when the siege began.
• The Jerusalem Post's article is dated August 12, 2026, while the other sources do not carry that year; the date of publication or the year of events cannot be independently verified from the sources alone.
• Al Jazeera characterises the blockade as settlers using 'rocks and tents,' while France 24 and The Straits Times report that when the tent was removed, settlers remained 'with blankets,' suggesting an evolving situation rather than a single static description.

• No direct comment or response from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is provided in any source.
• No statement from Defence Minister Israel Katz regarding this specific Qusra incident is included in any source.
• The identities or affiliations of the settlers conducting the siege are not established in any source.
• The total number of settlers involved in the siege is not confirmed across sources.
• The outcome of the siege — whether it was ultimately ended and whether the families remained in their homes — is not established in any source.
• No statement from Israeli settler representatives or advocacy groups is included in any source.
• The status of the one Israeli detained by the military following the dismantling of outposts is not reported.
• No independent verification of conditions inside the besieged homes — such as the state of food and water supplies — is provided beyond resident testimony.

1. Al Jazeera English — original — by Al Jazeera Staff
2. France 24 — by FRANCE 24
3. The Straits Times — by The Straits Times
4. The Jerusalem Post — by YONAH JEREMY BOB

Read the original at Al Jazeera English

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