Israel Deploys Extra Troops After Settlers Besiege Palestinian Families in Qusra
In the West Bank village of Qusra, just south of Nablus, Israeli settlers have surrounded the homes of two Palestinian families, cutting off their water and electricity and forcing them to move aside. The Israeli army announced it would bring more troops into the area after the settlers’ blockade continued unchallenged.
The two families, the Abu Ridi and Hassan families, live on the outskirts of Qusra and have appealed for help as their supplies run low. A video from Qusra shows dozens of Israeli security vehicles—including a bulldozer—arriving in the early hours, while later footage depicts tear gas and stun grenades used in a confrontation with a crowd of settlers.
Israeli soldiers first arrived to the scene the same day, reportedly praying with the settlers before being disciplined for their conduct, according to the Israeli military. By Wednesday, a larger Israeli security force attempted to clear the settlers, only to meet strong resistance and ultimately fail to dislodge them, leaving the houses severely damaged.
The United Nations reports that 76 Palestinians—including 18 children—have been killed in the West Bank since the start of the year, while 3 Israelis, one a civilian, have been killed and a further 3,000 Palestinians have been displaced through settler violence, demolitions and evictions.
The Israeli government maintains that settlements are “biblical, historic and legal” and will continue to grow. Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, told the Security Council that Israel would not move its settlements, arguing that the UN has no authority to halt the expansion of Israeli territory.
The situation in Qusra adds to a pattern of settler aggression across the West Bank. In July, settlers surrounded a Palestinian home in Jalud, near Qusra, for over two weeks before abandoning it, while already in various other villages, settlers have gone on to seize Palestinian property, igniting community backlash and international condemnation.
This latest surge of Israeli military reinforcements underscores the ongoing struggle between settlers, the Palestinian communities they occupy, and the Israeli government’s efforts to keep the settlements intact amid escalating tensions.
